GENERATION MEAN ANALYSIS OF WATER STRESS TOLERANCE IN OKRA (ABELMOSCHOUS ESCULENTUS L.)

Field experiments were carried out to assess the genetic potential of okra genotypes for drought tolerance through breeding and selection in 6 generations of 4 crosses between pairs of genotypes with a degree of tolerance to drought. Narrow sense heritability and genetic advance varied across crosses, traits and stress conditions. For fruit yield, narrow sense heritability and genetic advance were high under non-stress condition as compared to drought, which indicated that direct selection of fruit yield would only be feasible under non-stress conditions. Among the agronomic traits, although number of pods per plant had shown good narrow sense heritability and genetic advance under drought, yet leaf water potential appeared to be better indicator for selection criteria owning to higher heritability under drought. Among the crosses, Sanam x Arka Anamika appeared elite in terms of narrow sense heritability and genetic gain compared with other crosses, with highest fruit yield and pod number per plant under both conditions. Thus, chances to find stress tolerant breeding material in segregating populations of this cross are promising.