Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] is very

popular vegetable crop and grown for tender green

fruits. Okra is rich in vitamins, calcium, potassium,

iodine and other minerals. The mucilage of roots and stems of

okra are used as clarifier in Juggery and brown sugar industry.

The mature fruits and stem contains more crude fibre and are

used in paper industry, therefore, it is necessary to evaluate

these characters. For that the selection of desirable genotypes

must be performed with reliable estimates. The genetic

parameters like genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of

variation, heritability, expected genetic advance and expected

genetic advance over mean (%) provide a clear insight into

the extent of variability and a relative measure of efficiency of

selection of genotypes based on phenotype, in a highly

variable population. Hence, the present study was carried out

to find the genetic parameters for yield and its component

trait in okra genotypes.

RESEARCH METHODS

The experimental material for the present study

consisted of twenty-two genotypes of okra obtained from

National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New

Delhi and Chilli and Vegetable Research Unit (CVRU), Dr.

P.D.K.V., Akola. The experiment was conducted using

Randomized Block Design (RBD) and three replications at the

Members of the Research Forum

Associated Authors:1Department of Horticulture, Dr.

Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi

Vidyapeeth, AKOLA (M.S.) INDIA

HIND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE

Main Garden, University Department of Horticulture, Dr.

Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra

state during the Kharif, 2010. Observations were recorded from

five randomly selected plants of each genotype in each

replication for nineteen characters viz., plant height, number

of primary branches per plant, number of nodes on main stem,

internodal length, days to first flowering, days to 50 per cent

flowering, days to first harvest, number of fruits per plant,

weight of fruit, length of fruit, diameter of fruit, number of

ridges on fruit, chlorophyll content, moisture content, fibre

content, protein content, fruit borer incidence, yellow vein

mosaic incidence and yield per plant. Mean values of five

plants were used for statistical analysis. The data generated

was subjected to analysis the variability through GCV, PCV

and h2 as suggested by Burton (1952) and Johnson et al. (1955)

for EGA.

RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

The analysis of variance showed highly significant

differences among the genotypes for all the characters studied

(Table 1). This indicated presence of substantial amount of

variability among the genotypes studied for almost all the

characters. These results are an agreement with findings of

Kale et al. (1989) and Magar and Mardap (2009).

A wide range of variation (Table 2) was observed for

Genetic variability in okra

A.L. MOREY1, P.K. NAGRE1, V.N. DOD AND V.S. KALE1

THE ASIAN JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE

Article history :

Received : 26.09.2011

Revised : 05.01.2012

Accepted : 03.03.2012

Research Paper

Author for correspondence :

V.N. DOD

Department of Horticulture, Dr.

Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi

Vidyapeeth, AKOLA (M.S.) INDIA

Email : hdhortpdkv@ gmail.com

Volume 7 | Issue 1 | June, 2012 | 1-4

Abstract : The genetic variability for growth and yield contributing characters in twenty two genotypes

of okra collected from NBPGR, New Delhi and Chilli and Vegetable Research Unit, Dr. PDKV, Akola

was studied during Kharif 2010. The analysis of variance indicated significant differences among the

genotypes for different morphological characters. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was

higher than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV). The high values of GCV and PCV observed for

moisture content, yellow vein mosaic incidence, fruit borer incidence, protein content, chlorophyll

content, diameter of fruit, number of fruits per plant, and yield per plant. High heritability (h2) coupled

with high genetic advance (GA) was observed for yield per plant, and plant height.

Key words : GCV, PCV, h2, GA, Variability, Okra

How to cite this article : Morey, A.L., Nagre, P.K., Dod, V.N. and Kale, V.S. (2012). Genetic variability

in okra, Asian J. Hort., 7(1) : 1-4.

Hind Agricultural Research and Training InstituteAsian J. Hort., 7(1) June, 2012 : 2

Table1: Analysis of variance for nineteen characters in okra

Mean sum of squares Sr.

No. Characters

Replication Treatment Error

1. Plant height (cm) 4.64 1265.48** 57.19

2. Number of primary branches per plant 1.96 7.40** 2.43

3. Number of nodes on main stem 3.83 42.66** 8.54

4. Inter nodal length (cm) 3.52 2.17** 0.11

5. Days to first flowering 1.13 17.99** 1.34

6. Days to 50% flowering 6.85 24.08** 6.98

7. Days to first harvest 0.44 17.20** 4.98

8. Number of fruits per plant 2.99 34.99** 1.85

9. Weight of fruit (g) 1.07 3.97** 0.47

10. Length of fruit (cm) 1.03 8.93** 0.44

11. Diameter of fruit (cm) 0.024 0.85** 0.02

12. Number of ridges on fruit 0.0016 2.62** 0.001

13. Chlorophyll content (mg/g) 0.034 1.32** 0.018

14. Moisture content (%) 0.14 1.24** 0.14

15. Fiber content (%) 0.009 21.64** 0.006

16. Protein content (%) 0.016 122.94** 0.066

17. Fruit borer incidence (%) 0.52 163.64** 9.41

18. YVMV incidence (%) 11.22 219.36** 28.08

19. Yield per plant (g) 178.43 3655.02** 69.94

** indicate significance of value at P=0.01

Table 2 : Range, mean and estimates of genetic parameters in okra

Sr.

No.

Characters Range Mean GCV PCV h2

(%)

EGA

(K=2.06)

EGA over

mean (%)

1. Plant height (cm) 97.93-179.27 134.83 14.88 15.91 87.57 38.69 28.69

2. No. of primary bran. per plant 3.37-9.33 6.19 20.82 32.68 40.59 1.69 27.32

3. Number of nodes on main stem 13.01-28.67 19.89 16.95 22.43 57.10 5.25 26.38

4. Inter nodal length (cm) 2.96-6.14 4.89 16.95 18.23 86.50 1.59 32.47

5. Days to first flowering 40.20-48.74 44.25 5.47 6.09 80.52 4.35 6.35

6. Days to 50% flowering 46.09-54.46 49.56 5.48 6.27 76.43 4.89 6.65

7. Days to first harvest 42.13-49.03 46.09 4.26 6.64 41.23 2.59 5.64

8. No. of fruits per plant 9.94-21.41 14.11 23.93 25.73 93.63 6.7 3 44.89

9. Weight of fruit (g) 10.26-14.93 12.64 8.55 10.13 71.26 1.88 14.87

10. Length of fruit (cm) 8.89-15.03 12.19 13.80 14.84 86.48 3.22 26.43

11. Diameter of fruit (cm) 1.44-3.24 1.99 26.45 27.35 93.49 1.05 52.67

12. Number of ridges on fruit 5.00-8.24 5.29 17.66 17.67 99.86 1.92 36.36

13. Chlorophyll content (mg/g) 1.28-3.15 2.32 28.35 28.93 96.00 1.33 57.21

14. Moisture content (%) 88.47-91.09 89.94 67.34 78.92 72.80 1.06 1.18

15. Fibre content (%) 9.96-19.93 13.79 19.47 19.48 99.92 5.53 40.10

16. Protein content (%) 10.97-31.73 22.25 28.76 28.78 99.84 13.17 59.19

17. Fruit borer incidence (%) 7.75-36.89 22.67 31.63 34.41 84.53 13.57 59.90

18. YVMV incidence 1.91-35.92 17.06 46.81 56.18 69.43 13.71 80.34

19. Yield per plant (g) 110.76-246.49 155.11 22.29 22.93 94.47 69.22 44.62

A.L. MOREY, P.K. NAGRE, V.N. DOD AND V.S. KALE

plant height at the time of last harvesting from 97.93 cm for IC

111535 to 179.27 cm for IC 18536. The number of primary

branches per plant ranged from 3.37 for IC 16566 to 9.33 for IC

111535. The number of nodes on main stem at the time of last

harvesting ranged from 13.01 for IC 111535 to 28.67 for IC

18536. The internodal length ranged from 2.96 cm for IC 111535

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Hind Agricultural Research and Training InstituteAsian J. Hort., 7(1) June, 2012 : 3

GENETIC VARIABILITY IN OKRA

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Hind Agricultural Research and Training InstituteAsian J. Hort., 7(1) June, 2012 : 4

to 6.14 cm for IC 18532. Days to first flowering from date of

sowing ranged from 40.20 for IC 04378 to 48.74 for IC 06485.

Days to 50 per cent flowering ranged from 46.09 for IC 04378

to 54.46 for IC 18960-A and days to first harvest ranged from

42.13 for IC 04378 to 49.84 for IC 111515.

The number of fruits per plant ranged from 9.94 for IC

111535 to 24.41 for IC 18536. Weight of fruit ranged from 10.95g

for IC 18553 to 14.93g for IC 111536. The length of fruit ranged

from 8.89cm for IC 111536 to 15.03cm for IC 111535. The

diameter of fruit ranged from 1.44cm for IC 111536 to 3.24cm

for IC 111535. The number ridges on fruit ranged from 5.00 to

8.24. The chlorophyll content of leaves at the time of first and

last harvesting ranged from 1.28mg/g in IC 18073 to 3.15mg/g

in IC 111535. The moisture content ranged from 88.47 per cent

in IC 15036 to 91.09 per cent in IC 18532. The crude fibre

content ranged from 9.96 per cent in IC 111536 to 19.93 per

cent in IC 18060-A. The protein content ranged from 10.97 per

cent in IC 06485 to 31.43 per cent in IC 18532. The fruit borer

incidence ranged from 7.75 per cent in IC 16566 to 36.89 per

cent in IC 18553. The YVM incidence ranged from 1.91 per

cent in IC 111535 to 35.92 per cent in IC 111519 and yield per

plant ranged from 110.76g in IC 111535 to 246.49g in IC 18536.

The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was

higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for

all the characters (Table 2), The genotypic coefficient of

variation was lowest for the character, days to first harvest

(4.26) and highest for moisture content (67.34). The higher

value of GCV was found for the characters, YVM incidence

(46.81), fruit borer incidence (31.63), protein content (28.76),

and chlorophyll content (28.35), diameter of fruit (26.45),

number of fruits per plant (23.93) and yield per plant (22.29).

The phenotypic coefficient of variation was lowest for

the character days to first flowering (6.09), and highest for

moisture content (78.92). The higher values of PCV was

recorded for the characters, YVM incidence (56.16), fruit borer

incidence (34.41), number of primary branches per plant

(32.68), chlorophyll content (28.93), protein content (28.78),

diameter of fruit (27.35), number of fruits per plant (25.73),

yield per plant (22.93) and number of nodes on main stem

(22.43) indicating the substantial modifying effect of

environment in the expression of the all traits studied (Kale et

al., 1989, Pal et al., 2008 and Sindhumole et al., 2006).

In the present study the highest estimates of heritability

coupled with higher genetic advance were obtained for the

characters yield per plant, plant height and number of leaves

per plant. It shows that genotypic variance for their characters

are probably due to high additive genetic effect (Panse, 1957).

Therefore, the selection based on phenotypic performance of

these characters would be useful for achieving desired results.

High heritability and moderately high genetic advance for,

weight of fruit, fruits per plant and height of plant was recorded

by Bindu et al. (1997). Thus for increasing green fruit yield in

okra due emphasis should be given to plant height, number of

fruits per plant and length of fruit. All these characters had

high heritability with fruit yield, which can be increased through

selection in okra.

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in bhendi [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Monech]. South Indian J.

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Burton, G.W. (1952). Quantitative inheritance in grasses, Proc. 6th

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Johnson, H.W., Robinson, H.F. and Comstock, R.E. (1955).

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Kale, P.B., Dod, V.N. and Thapar, R.R. (1989). Variability and

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Magar, R.G. and Madrap, I. A. (2009). Genetic variability and path

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Important yield component in okra. Indian J. Hort., 65(3): 358-361.

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A.L. MOREY, P.K. NAGRE, V.N. DOD AND V.S. KALE

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