Variability of Different Growth Contributing Parameters of Some Okra (<i>Abelmoschus Esculentus</i> L.) Accessions and Their Interrelation Effects on Yield

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to assess the variability of growth contributing characters of 50 okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) accessions and their interrelation effects on the yield of green pods. The experiment was undertaken at the Horticulture Farm of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from February to May, 2002. There was a wide range of variation for spread of plant (43.73 cm), height of plant (80.90 cm) and length of petiole (12.31 cm). Moderate variation for number of nodes per plant (14.58), number of leaves per plant (24.51 at 80 DAS), length of leaf (12.20 cm), breadth of leaf (13.05 cm); and lesser variation for number of primary branches per plant (1.57) was observed. The yield of green pod varied significantly and ranged from 4.39 t/ha (accession 19) to 12.77 t/ha (accession 69) with the average value of 7.86 t/ha. Number of primary branches per plant, which showed a lesser range of variation, recorded the highest genotypic co-efficient of variation (GCV= 26.56%) and also the highest phenotypic co-efficient of variation (PCV = 32.37%). A moderate GCV and PCV were recorded in case of length of petiole (GCV = 14.24% and PCV = 15.95%), spread of plant (GCV = 12.00% and PCV = 13.06%), breadth of leaf (GCV = 9.81% and PCV = 12.41%) and length of leaf (GCV = 9.53% and PCV = 13.35%). These characters suggested the existence of justifiable genetic and phenotypic distance among different accessions. Correlation co-efficient between yield and growth contributing parameters indicated that yield of green pod had highly significant positive association with the number of nodes per plant. Path analysis of different growth contributing parameters showed that number of nodes per plant directly contributed towards the yield of green pod.

Key words: Okra accessions, variability, growth parameters, GCV, PCV, path analysis.

doi:10.3329/jard.v6i1.1654

J Agric Rural Dev 6(1&2), 25-35, June 2008