Vol. 10, Issue 6 (2021)

Author(s):
Shwetha A, Mulge R and Raju K Khot

Abstract:
Twenty eight F₁ hybrids were generated from eight parents through half diallel mating design, these F₁’s along with 8 parents and 2 commercial checks were evaluated to study the magnitude and direction of heterosis for growth and earliness characters in okra. Significant heterosis was found over better parent, best parent and commercial checks for all the traits studied in desirable direction. Maximum desirable heterosis was observed in the cross KO1603 x KO1606 for internodal length and number of nodes on the main stem over better parent (-35.65% and 55.23%), the best parent (-23.32% and 18.51%) and the commercial checks Arka Anamika (-17.01% and 38.58%) and MHY-10 (-24.10% and 25.04%). The cross KO1601 x KO1608 showed highest heterosis over better parent (46.15%), the best parent (18.75%) and the commercial checks Arka Anamika (88.89%) and MHY-10 (58.33%) for number of branches per plant. The cross KO1601 x KO1602 exhibited maximum standard heterosis over the commercial checks Arka Anamika (-14.42%) and MHY-10 (-10.10%) for days to 50 pe [r cent flowering. High estimates of heterosis obtained in hybrid combinations revealed considerable genetic divergence among the parental lines and also reveals good scope for commercial exploitation of heterosis in okra.