The study of heterosis would help in selection of heterotic crosses for commercial exploitation of F
1 hybrids in okra
(
Abelmoschus
esculentus
(L.) Moench). Forty five F
1s were developed by crossing 10 elite lines of okra: P
1(IC282248),
P
2(IC27826-A), P
3(IC29119-B), P
4(IC31398-A), P
5(IC45732), P
6(IC89819), P
7(IC89976), P
8(IC90107), P
9(IC99716),
and P
10(IC111443), in half diallel fashion during summer 2009. All 45 F
1s along with their 10 parents and one standard
control (Mahyco Hybrid N° 10) were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replicates during early
kharif (June to September) 2009 at the Vegetable Research Station, Rajendranagar, Andhra Pradesh, India, for heterosis
of yield and its components of okra. Significance of mean squares due to genotypes revealed the presence of considerable
genetic variability among the material studied for almost all yield and yield attributes except plant height. The overall
mean heterosis over mid parent and standard control for total yield per plant was 6.92 and -15.44%, respectively, while
for marketable yield per plant were 6.64 and -22.18%, respectively. Negatively heterotic crosses like C
19 (P
3×P
5) for days
to 50% flowering (-4.35%) and C
4(P
1×P
5) for first flowering and fruiting nodes (-15.22%), respectively, are important to
exploit heterosis for earliness in okra. The crosses with non-significant standard heterosis in any given direction for total
yield per plant C
42, C
31, C
35, C
25, and C
36 (8.63, -0.08, -2.61, -3.26, and -4.57%, respectively) and marketable yield per plant
C
42, C
31, and C
36 (-5.87, -6.56, and -10.54%, respectively), were statistically on par with the standard control in their mean
performance and are found to be as promising as that of the standard control. The F
1 hybrid C
42(P
7×P
10) with high yield
potential has the potential for commercial cultivation after further evaluation for early
kharif season.
