Phenotypic Correlation and Path Coefficient and Relative Importance Studies in Okra Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench.

The experiment was undertaken to study correlation and path coefficient and relatively importance to yield and its components traits in Okra. The experimental material consisted of six generations (P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2) through two crosses, which were evaluated in Completely Randomized Block Design (RCBD) with three replications at the Agriculture Scientific Center in Latakia during the summer of 2020. The result of phenotypic correlation revealed that yield per plant had positively significant correlation with fruit diameter (0.53), positively highly significant correlation with fruit weight (0.65), and negatively highly significant correlation with days for first flowering and days to 50% flowering (-0.56, -0.63), respectively in the first hybrid (Lathkani 6× Lathkani 10). In the second hybrid (Lathkani 7× Lathkani 9), yield per plant has exhibited positively and highly significant correlation with numbers of fruit per plant, numbers of flowers per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter and fruit weight (0.95, 0.96, 0.76, 0.65, 0.64), respectively. The high positively direct effect on yield per plant was contributed by fruit weight followed by days to 50% flowering in the first hybrid. Numbers of fruits per plant had desirably direct effect on yield per plant in the second hybrid. Hence, direct selection based on these traits would result in simultaneous improvement of previously mentioned traits and yield in Okra.