Heterosis for yield and its related traits in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

Eight parental lines of okra and their 28 F1 hybrids obtained from half diallel were studied to investigate the extent of heterosis for yield and yield attributing characters. The magnitude of heterosis varied from cross to cross for all the characters studied. Maximum positive heterosis for fruit yild per plant over better parent and standard check (JOH 2) was observed to be 62.12 and 44.11 per cent, respectively. The cause of heterosis may be due to its component traits, mainly, days to first flowering, nodes per plant, length of internode, fruit weight and fruits per plant. The best performing hybrid AOL 09-25 x AOL 09-26 which recorded 44.11 per cent heterosis for yield over standard check may be exploited for commercial cultivation.