Analysis of Heterosis and Heterobeltiosis for Earliness, Yield and Its Contributing Traits in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

Thirty-six F1 hybrids were generated from nine lines and four testers through line x tester mating design, these F1’s along with 13 parents and 1 commercial check (Punjab-8) were evaluated to study the magnitude and direction of heterosis for growth and earliness over various characters in okra. Heterosis was studied to compare traits such as days to 50% flowering, days to picking, plant height, number of internodes, number of branches per plant, fruit length at commercial maturity and final maturity, number of fruits per plant, number of seeds per fruit, 100 seed weight, fruit weight, and yield per plant. Significant heterosis was found over better parent (Heterobeltiosis), mid parent and commercial checks for all the traits studied in desirable direction. The present study showed that the crosses L3 x T2 (19.04, 15.41, 8.28), L5 x T2 (41.90, 14.55, 7.47), L8 x T3 (23.75, 6.48, 8.46) recorded significant positive heterosis for yield per plant over mid parent, better parent and over standard check. Same hybrid L3 x T2 exhibited negative and highly significant heterosis for days to 50% flowering and days to first picking (-11.65,-12.00, -8.33) and (-11.79, -12.12, -15.94) respectively that are earliness character over mid parent, better parent and standard check. These hybrids may further be tested over various locations before release for commercial cultivation. High estimates of heterosis obtained in hybrid combinations revealed considerable genetic divergence among the parental lines and reveals good scope for commercial exploitation of heterosis in okra.