Biometrical analysis of okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]

Fifty okra genotypes were evaluated for genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient for yield and its contributing attributes. Differences for the studied characters among the selected genotypes were significant and indicated the existence of variability among them. The phenotypic variance and coefficient of variation were higher than their respective genotypic variance and coefficient of variation for all the traits indicated the environmental effects on their expression. The differences between genetic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were high for number of branches per plant followed by yield per plant (g), width of fruit (cm), number of first fruiting node, length of internode (cm), length of first fruiting node (cm), number of fruits per plant, length of fruit (cm), plant height (cm) and days to flowering indicating the vulnerability of traits to environmental influences reflects the possibilities of varietal improvement. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance expressed as per cent of mean were observed for yield per plant (g), width of fruit (cm), number of first fruiting node, number of fruits per plant, length of internode (cm) and length of first fruiting node (cm). The difference between genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficient indicates the influence of environmental effects. Number of fruits per plant and length of first fruiting node contributed highly positive significant correlation to fruit yield per plant, whereas plant height and length of internode showed highly negative significant correlation to yield per plant. The highest positive direct effect on fruit yield per plant was observed by number of fruits per plant (0.727) followed by length of internode (0.109), plant height (0.021), length of first fruiting node (0.011) and width of fruit (0.006). Negative direct effect was exerted by length of fruit (−0.400) followed by number of first fruiting node (−0.059), days to flowering (−0.052) and number of branches per plant (−0.028) at genotypic level.