Genetic Analysis and Molecular Characterization in okra Abelmoschus esculentus L Moench

Abstract

newline The present study entitled Genetic Analysis and Molecular Characterization in okra [Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench] was conducted at Vegetable Experimental Farm-I, Division of Vegetable Science and Floriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chatha, Jammu (JandK) under subtropical agro-climatic conditions of Jammu, during 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 and evaluated sixty okra genotypes to asses variability, heritability, genetic advance and genetic divergence for quantitative characters and qualitative traits. Clustering pattern of the genotypes showed that the different okra genotypes were classified in seven different constellations indicating heterogeneous origin. Maximum intracluster distance was observed in Cluster VII while maximum intercluster distance was recorded between Cluster VI and Cluster IV. Considering the data on various economic characters with respect to genetic divergence best eight distant parents were selected for further hybridization programe and were further crossed using diallel mating program excluding reciprocals and twenty eight hybrids were developed. Analysis of variance showed that parents and hybrids were highly significant for all the characters under study. On the basis of gca effect and per se performance parents DOV-88 and Punjab Padmini was considered best for fruit yield per hectare, protein content, calcium content, iodine content. Hybrid DOV-88 x Punjab Padmini for fruit yield per hectare and incidence of fruit and shoot borer while, hybrid DOV-88 x Pusa-A-4 for internodal distance and calcium content were considered best hybrids based on the basis of sca effect and per se performance. However, hybrid DOV-88 x Punjab Padmini was found to best heterotic hybrid for the characters namely protein content, calcium content and fruit yield per plant, fruit yield per hectare while, DOV-44 x Parbhani Kranti was best hetetrotic hybrid for iodine content. Dominant genes were recorded for the characters viz., protein content, calcium c