Assessment of Genetic Behavior of Some Selected Families from Local Okra Cultivar (Abelmoschus Esculentus L. Moench)

This study was planned to assess variability and heritability with genetic advance in okra, using 18 divers’ families; which produced from three cycles of individual plant selection, Balady cultivar, during the three summer seasons of 2014, 2015 and 2016. The 18 selected families were grown in a randomized complete block design with three replications during summer 2017 at the Experimental Station Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University; at Abies, Alex, A.R.E. Observations that recorded on ten characters reflected considerable variability. The results indicated, also, that the all 18 selected families, that obtained after three cycles of individual plant selection; varied in their horticultural characteristics, and exhibited highly significant differences, with desirable effect, for all studied characters. Moreover, the mean performances showed uniform plants within each family; and a clear indication of agronomic superiority of some families over others, as well as, over the original population also was recorded. Mean values were used to determine characters’ phenotypic and genotypic variances, phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation, broad sense heritability and genetic advance. Clear narrow range of different between PCV and GCV was observed for six characters from ten studied characters; plant height, internode length, branches number per plant, pod diameter, total pods number per plant and total pods weight per plant. High heritability along with high genetic advance as percent of the mean were obtained for total yield per plant, pods number per plant, branches number per plant, internode length and plant height revealing the importance of additive gene action in the inheritance of these characters and suggested reliable okra improvement through selection of these traits.