ABSTRACT

Eleven (11) genotypes, comprising two (2) varieties and nine (9) breeding lines of okra (Abelinoschus esculentus (L) Moench) were used in 4 field experiments to evaluate their performance under Umudike (south eastern Nigeria) conditions in 2002 early and late cropping seasons and 2003 early cropping season, and to make crosses (hybridization) so as to study heteroses and heritability (broad sense), to enable one make selections for superior traits for hybrid seeds production and fresh pod yield improvement programme. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three (3) replicates was used in both years. With respect to yield, the breeding lines LD88/1-8-13-3, LD88/1-8-13-2-4 and LD88!1-8-16-2, performed significantly (p<O.05) better than others. Hence, okra cropping in both rainy and dry seasons in umudike is possible. LD88/l-8-13-3, LD88/l-8-13-2-4 and LD88/l-8-16-2 (breeding lines) should be further worked on, and released as varieties to farmers in umudike for increased fresh pod production. In F1 generation, the crosses between LD88!l-8-13-2-4 and 47-4, LD88/l-8-13-2-5 and 47-4 and LD88/l-8-16-2 and LD88, produced F1 hybrids with records of higher positive heterosis of 9.30, 6.98, and 3.49%, respectively over their better parents with respect to fresh pod yield, could be used to produce hybrid seeds for increased fresh pod production. Heritability and variability studies showed that environmental factors exerted greater influence on some of the quantitative characters studied. However, plant height, number of pods/plant, pod length, dry pod weight,l 00 seeds weight and number of lateral branches! plant had high heritability estimates of 73.01, 68.18, 75.81, 87.05, 80.43 and 32.12%, respectively. Simple Linear correlation analysis revealed positive and significant association (p<O.OS) between plant height (r =0.67), number of lateral branches (r = 0.27) and number of pods/plant (r =0.48) with fresh pod yield. Rate of flower abortion had negative and high significant (r —0.31) association with fresh pod. Hence, in selection process for fresh pod yield improvement, plant height, number of lateral branches and number of pods !plant should be given high weighting. Genotypes with high rate of flower abortion should be avoided.