Genetic Component Analysis in Fruit Yield and Quality Traits in Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]

Abstract

A half-diallel cross involving nine okra genotypes was utilized to investigate the inheritance of fruit yield and its component traits. Data from the F1 generation and the parent genotypes were analysed using Hayman's (1954) diallel method. The additive genetic component (D) was found to be significant for the traits like days to last picking in environment E1, and for the number of fruits per plant in environments E2 and E3, but non-significant across all environments for fruit yield per plant. The dominant components (H1 and H2) were found significant for all traits studied under all environmental condition. This revealed that both additive and non-additive gene actions play a vital role in the expression of the traits studied. The dominant component's (H1 and H2) relative magnitude was greater than the additive component for most of the traits, suggesting the importance of dominance effects on expression of those traits. The average degree of dominance showed an overdominance effect for the traits studied. The ratio of dominant to recessive genes indicated that the parents had an excess of dominant genes for fruit yield per plant. Thus stated the presence of overdominance for yield, reciprocal technique is the most effective recurrent breeding scheme for producing improved hybrids.