Genetic analysis of earliness and yield traits in intervarietal hybrids of okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.)] using multi-environment analysis
摘要
The investigation was conducted at CSK HPKV, Palampur, during 2020 and 2021 to assess heterosis, combining ability, and gene action using a line × tester mating design under multi-environmental conditions. Significant genotype × environment interactions were observed for all traits, highlighting the strong influence of the environment on the performance of genotypes and cross-combinations. Considerable variation in the magnitude and direction of heterosis was recorded for most of the traits. The hybrids ‘Palam Round × Hisar Unnat’, ‘Kashi Vibhuti × Hisar Unnat’, ‘VRO-4 × Hisar Unnat’, and ‘Palam 5 Ridged × Hisar Unnat’ were the most promising, exhibiting significant desirable standard heterosis for fruit yield and related traits, and consistently ranking among the top five crosses across environments. The lines ‘Palam Round’, ‘Kashi Vibhuti’, and ‘VRO-4’, along with the tester ‘Hisar Unnat’, were identified as good general combiners for fruit yield per plant and related traits. Based on SCA effects, the cross-combinations ‘Palam Round × Hisar Unnat’, ‘Kashi Vibhuti × Hisar Unnat’, ‘9801 × P-8’, ‘Kashi Pragati × Palam Komal’, and ‘HPO-1 × P-8’ were the most promising for yield and its component traits. The dominance variance component exceeded the additive variance for most traits, indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene action. Considering both SCA effects and standard heterosis, ‘Palam Round × Hisar Unnat’ and ‘Kashi Vibhuti × Hisar Unnat’ emerged as the most promising cross combinations for developing superior progenies with high levels of mucilage and ascorbic acid.