Breeding Okra for Higher Productivity and Yellow Vein Mosaic Tolerance

Improving yield and ensuring its sustainability under adverse conditions through resistant hybrids is the major objective of heterosis breeding in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). A study was undertaken to determine gene action, heterobeltiosis, and combining ability for 15 characters through a Line × Tester mating design in okra. Nonadditive gene action controlled all characters studied. Crosses showing high specific combining ability (sca) and yield involved parents showing high general combining ability for plant height, number of nodes on the main stem, number of leaves per plant, fruit diameter, fruit weight, and number of fruits per plant. Parental lines and hybrids were categorized according to disease reaction. The hybrids 'VNR Green' × 'Shagun' and 'Barsha Laxmi' × 'Parbhani Kranti' were selected on the basis of their mean (per se) performance, heterosis manifested in them, and sca effects. These hybrids could be used commercially due to high yield and low percentage disease index values for yellow vein mosaic virus (YVMV) disease. Keywords: Abelmoschus esculentus Combining abilityGene actionHeterosisIndia Acknowledgments The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Bijendra Singh, Project Coordinator, AICRP on Vegetable Crops, ICAR, New Delhi, India, for providing financial assistance to carry out this experiment.