Studies on combining ability and gene action for yield and yield contributing characters in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)

Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken to study the combining ability of the parents and crosses for yield and yield contributing traits in okra using fifteen hybrids resulted from crossing of six parents in half- diallel mating design. The genotypes were evaluated in Randomized Block Design with three replications at college of horticulture, Dr. Y.S.RHU, Venkataramannagudem. Combining ability analysis revealed that magnitude of specific combining ability variance was greater than general combining ability variance suggesting the predominance of non-additive gene action for all the characters studied. Combining ability analysis revealed that the parental line ACC-3 being the high general combiner for plant height, fruit length and fruit yield per plant is recommended for use in breeding programmes to improve yield in okra. The high specific combining crosses, ACC-17 × ACC-43, ACC-3 × ACC-41 and ACC-41 × ACC-43 were identified as promising for yield and yield contributing characters.