The study aimed to assess heterosis, inbreeding depression, and narrow sense heritability in okra regarding fruit yield and associated traits. Six generations from four crosses were evaluated for various characteristics. Promising outcomes were observed in specific crosses: GAO 5 × AOL 12-59 displayed significant heterobeltiosis for fruit yield and early flowering, while GAO 5 × Kashi Kranti showed positive heterobeltiosis for fruits per plant. Desirable inbreeding depression, signifying earliness, was evident in Pusa Sawani × AOL 10-22 and GAO 5 × AOL 13-144 for days to flowering. Traits like plant height, internodes on the main stem, fruit characteristics, and yield exhibited high narrow sense heritability, suggesting the potential for improved varieties through additive gene action in okra breeding programs.

Okra, Heterobeltiosis, Inbreeding Depression, Narrow Sense Heritability

Significant estimates of desirable heterobeltiosis for early flowering was observed for the cross GAO 5 × AOL 12-59 (-6.02 %). All four crosses showed negative and significant heterobeltiosis for length of internode, which was considered desirable. For fruits per plant, cross GAO 5 × Kashi Kranti depicted positive and significant heterobeltiosis (8.76 %). The cross GAO 5 × AOL 12-59 found to be promising for fruit yield and most of its component traits along with early flowering and first picking. Significant and positive inbreeding depression was found for days to flowering in the crosses Pusa Sawani × AOL 10-22 (3.71 %) and GAO 5 × AOL 13-144 (3.37 %) which was considered desirable for earliness. High narrow sense heritability was recorded for plant height, internodes on main stem, length of internode, branches per plant, fruit length, fruit girth, fruit weight, fruits per plant and fruit yield per plant indicating that these characters were largely governed by genes acting in additive manner. Higher narrow sense heritability predicts higher selection efficiency so the plant breeder can go for selection of individual or group of characters. In crop like okra, high narrow sense heritability estimates may be helpful for the development of improved varieties by fixation of additive gene action.

Lalji N. Gediya, Rajesh R. Acharya, Mihir M. Pandya and Rutvik Joshi (2023). Fruitful Genetics: Unravelling Heterosis, Inbreeding Depression and Heritability in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) for Enhanced Yield Traits. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(11): 464-468.