Nutritional Enhancement for Iron Content and Eombining Ability Studies in Newly Derived Inbred Lines of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus Moench L.)

The study was undertaken to investigate the iron content and general combining ability (GCA) of parents, specific combining ability (SCA) of hybrids and the genetic behavior of characters in the hybrids obtained by 10x10 full diallel method involving ten double cross derived inbred lines of okra. The ninety F 1 s and their parents along with checks were planted in a Simple Lattice Design with two replications during kharif 2010. The general combining ability (GCA) of the parents and the specific combining ability (SCA) of the hybrids and the gene effects were estimated by using the full diallel analysis method 1, model 1, described by Griffing (1956). In the populations all the traits viz ., days to first flowering, 50% flowering, plant height, number of branches, inter nodal length, fruit length, fruit diameter, number of seeds per fruit, 100 seed weight, number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit yield per plant and fruit yield per hectare were influenced by both additive and non-additive gene effects. It was determined that Line 4 for fruit yield per hectare, Line 18 for fruit weight and fruit yield per plant, Line 37 for number of fruits, number of seeds per fruit and inter nodal length, Line 2 for fruit diameter and 100 seed weight, Line 13 for number of branches were the best genotypes having the highest general combining abilities. It was also determined that hybrid combinations 4x37 for fruit yield per hectare, 6x16 for fruit yield per plant, 5x18 for fruit weight, 4x5 for number of fruits per plant, 5x37 and 6x12 for 100 seed weight and 2x6 for fruit length were the most promising crosses with the highest specific combining ability. There is no reciprocal effects have been observed in these genotypes. Path of productivity analysis revealed that fruit weight and number of fruits per plant or hectare had the highest direct effect or contribution to fruit yield. Thus, in the present study, 5x37, 18x5 and 5x6 were identified as promising hybrids combining high fruit yield per plant with high fruit weight. These crosses can also be used to derive superior segregants in further generations. Iron content analysis indicated the parents involving in hybrid combination viz., 4x22 and 4x5 gave higher iron content compared to top parents Lines 37 and 22 genotypes by using AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer).