GENETIC DIVERGENCE STUDIES FOR YIELD AND QUALITYTRAITS IN OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS (L.) MOENCH.)Ullangula Sravanthi, B. Neeraja Prabhakar, P. Saidaiah, A. Manohar Rao,D. Lakshmi Narayana and G. SathishAbstract The objective of the study was to evaluate genetic divergence among okra genotypes based on yield andyield contributing traits. The experiment comprised of 32 genotypes of okra, which were sown in RandomizedBlock Design with two replications at College of Horticulture, Sri Konda Laxman Telangana StateHorticultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during the period Kharif, 2016. Analysis of varianceindicated existence of large variability among the genotypes for all the traits. On the basis of D2 analysis, the32 genotypes could be grouped into 6 clusters. Cluster I had the highest number of genotypes (15) followedcluster II (11) and cluster III and cluster V (2 genotypes in each group) and remaining clusters, i.e., IV andVI were mono genotypic. Plant height had the highest contribution towards the total genetic divergence(42.94 %) followed by overall YVMV PDI percent (16.73 ). The highest intra-cluster distances were recordedin cluster II (73.17) followed by cluster V (66.30). The maximum inter-cluster distance was recorded betweencluster III and cluster IV (775.06) followed by cluster IV and cluster VI (723.37). The genotypes which werein the cluster II, III and VI also exhibited significant performance for fruit yield per plant. Based on per seperformance and genetic investigation methods superior genotypes RHBG-1, RHBG-7, VRO-6, IC-42490,IC-10265, IC-111515, Arka Abhay, Pusa A-4, IC-29119, RHBG-12, IC-90219. The identified genotypes arepromising for hybrid breeding as parents for yileld and YVMV resistance.IC-04328 and EC-755647 wereidentified for yield and yield attributing traits and YVMV resistance in okra. The identified genotypes arepromising for hybrid breeding as parents for yileld and YVMV resistance. |