Combining ability for fruit yield and its components over environments in okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]

The combining ability studies were conducted using line x tester (10 lines and 4 testers) mating method over three environments for nine characters in okra. The pooled analysis of variance for combining ability revealed the preponderance of non-additive gene action in the expression of yield and all the yield contributing characters except fruit girth, which was governed by the additive gene action. The lines i.e. GO-2 and JOL-06-S-5, while the tester viz., HRB-55 were found as good general combiners for fruit yield per plant and possessed concentration of favourable genes as indicated by significant and positive gca effects for fruit yield and other contributing traits viz., number of nodes per plant, number of branches per plant and fruit length. The parents JOL-06-S-4, JOL-06-S-5, JOL-06-S-6 and Parbhani Kranti were identified as good general combiners for early flowering. Among the hybrids, JOL-06-S-5 x HRB-55, JOL-06-S-8 x JOL-06-S-1 and GO-2 x Parbhani Kranti had high sca effects for fruit yield per plant and other related traits, were also accompanied with high per se performance; hence, per se performance of the hybrids would be a good indicator for predicting sca effects. These hybrids could be exploited through heterosis breeding as these are expected to give desirable trangressive segregants in the succeeding segregating generation.