Phenotypic plasticity of okra for yield and associated traits

Abstract

Background: The genetic improvement of okra for the agro-ecological conditions requires adequate genetic background for understanding the inheritance of the traits and genetic control.Aim: To evaluate collection of okra accessions for their phenotypic plasticity and their relationships among tested accession.Setting: Field trail laid in a randomised complete block design of three replication.Methods: A total of 24 okra accessions were planted at Loskop Research Station in Limpopo province, South Africa, during the 2020 and 2021 cropping seasons.Results: The analysis of variance showed significant differences among the accessions for yield and related traits measured. The principal components analysis revealed 68.85% total variation. The genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) was higher than phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV) for all the measured parameters. The study revealed medium heritability for yield (33%), high (≥ 60%), for hundred-seed weight and number of fruits per plant. A positive significant correlation between grain yield and fruit yield per plant (r = 0.39) was observed.Conclusion: The study recommended accessions Acc No. 1859.2.3.1, Acc No. 1181.2.1.1 and Acc No. 1900.2.3.1 to be used as breeding lines in future okra breeding programme.Contribution: The accessions identified as potential parents for okra improvement programme, based on complementary agronomic traits could be used for direct cultivation by small-scale farmers and parental lines for breeding population.