Genetic advance and heritability studies in abelmoscus esculentus (l)

Phenotypic and genotypic variances were same for days to 50% flowering and yield per for Abelmoscus esculentus but phenotypic variances were more than genotypic variances for all the remaining characters. The maximum genotypic variances were noted for plant height and minimum for yield per plant. PCV were invaribly slightly higher than the corresponding GCV for all the characters due to environmental influence. The estimates of heritability in broad sense varied from 99.8 percent for yield per plant to 44.7 percent for fruit girth. Except number of branches per plant, internode length and fruit girth other character experessed high heritability values, i.e. above 83 percent. Heritability in narrow sense was found to be highest for plant height (44.8 percent) only suggesting thereby the more or less important role of additive gene effect. Genetic advance was the highest (38.306) for plant height and the lowest (0.530) for yield per plant. The higher estimates of genotypic coefficients of variation and heritability coupled with higher genetic advace for fruits per plant, number of nodes per plant, plant height, internode length and fruit length indicated that heritability of these traits is mainly due to additive effects and selection for these charecters will be most effective in West Bengal environmental condition. High heritability accompanied with medium to low genetic advance for yield per plant is indicative of non-additive gene action playing a vital role.