Estimation of Hybrid Vigour for Fruit Yield and Quality Traits of Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] Through Line x Tester Analysis Carried Over Environments

Abstract

Heterosis is one of the greatest practical achievements of plant breeding and has been extensively used in crop improvement in okra. The production of hybrid cultivars with higher fruit yield and quality characters has become increasingly important in recent years due to continuous demand. In the present study, 14 genetically diverse okra parents were crossed in Line x Tester fashion to explore magnitude of heterosis. Pooled analysis of 3 environments data showed that the maximum extent of significant standard heterosis for fruit yield in desired directions was recorded in hybrids from the crosses VIO 47672 x GJO – 3 (33.33 %), IC – 045796 x GJO – 3 (22.83 %), IC – 111493 x GJO – 3 (22.27 %). A pursue of per se performance revealed that the hybrid from the cross VIO 47672 x GJO – 3 (E1: 9.66 t/ha, E2: 15.58 t/ha, E3: 5.65 t/ha and pooled: 10.30 t/ha) was found to be performing consistent over environments and in pooled as well. Performance of these hybrids should be further tested for commercial cultivation. Hybrids, VIO 44244 x Arka Anamika (-8.80 %), VIO 44244 x GJO – 3 (-9.48 %) and AOL–09 –17 x GJO– 3 (19.88 %) exhibited significant standard heterosis in desired direction for stalk length, fiber content and shelf life, respectively. Stalk colour is an attractive trait for visualization of diverse okra genotypes in which dark green stalk colour is most preferable for edible purpose. Hybrids from the crosses viz, IC – 045796 x GJO – 3, IC – 052273 x GAO – 5, IC – 052273 x Varsha Uphar, VIO 47672 x GJO – 3 and EC – 305623 x GAO – 5 exhibited dark green stalk colour. On the basis of per se performance and heterosis analysis for fruit yield per plant hybrid VIO 47672 x GJO – 3 was the best followed by IC – 111493 x GJO – 3, IC – 045796 x GJO – 3 and performance of these hybrids should be further tested for commercial cultivation.