Genetic divergence analysis in okra [Abelmoschus Esculentus (L.) Moench]

Abstract

Mahalanobis D2 statistics was used to study the nature and magnitude of genetic diversity among 40 genotypes of okra. The genotypes were grouped into eight clusters. It revealed that presence of morphological difference between the genotypes. The cluster V, had the highest genotypes (11) followed by cluster I (10). For intra cluster distance the genotypes falling in cluster VIII (6.14) had the maximum divergence which was closely followed by cluster I (5.38) and cluster VII (4.28). The inter cluster distance ranged from 2.02 to 10.16 as exhibited between cluster II and cluster II and cluster VI and cluster VII, respectively. In the present study, parental lines selected from cluster VII for plant height, number of branches per plant, number of fruiting nodes per plant, fruit length, fruit weight and fruit yield per plant. The characters viz., fruit yield per plant and fruit weight contributed maximum towards total genetic divergence. Hence, selection may be practiced for these characters.