Shabbeer Ahmad, Sanket Kumar, Saba Siddiqui and Bhanu Singh
Abstract
Red okra varieties, particularly cultivars like Kashi Lalima and Red Burgundy, have emerged as nutritionally rich and functionally potent alternatives to traditional green okra. Red okra has long been praised in ethnomedicine and today scientific research backs up its anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antioxidant qualities, which are mostly ascribed to its high anthocyanin and flavonoid content. The nutritive and phytochemical profiles comprising different plant parts, such as pods, leaves, and seeds, providing a comprehensive health benefit. In particular, red okra has been found to have greater tolerance to environmental stress, likely due to the pigments used in its defense mechanisms. More novel lines and accessions are being grown, showing promise for versatility in different agro-climatic conditions. Okra, as a crop has the potential to improve food security because of its rapid growth, low resource input requirements and high nutrient value. This review highlights recent developments in the genetic enhancement and the functional validation of the red and purple okra and sustainable cultivation strategies designed to make them, health, agronomy and global nutrition resilience, targeted crops of the future. Molecular biotechnology, such as CRISPR and marker-assisted selection, along with nano fertilization and traditional breeding methods, is working together to design new cultivars with improved yields, resistance to diseases and greater adaptability.