Authors : Adeniji and Olawale Taiwo
Abstract: Heritability, genetic action and number of genes moderating the inheritance of pod yield was investigated in 5 crosses of West African okra accessions. Parents with variation for pod yield were used in hybridization process. Generations developed (parents, F1, F2 and BC1 BC2) were planted for evaluation in a randomized complete block design with 2 replications. The results showed that the additive-dominance model was adequate in explaining the inheritance of pod yield. This was ascribed to a non significant estimate of A, B and C scaling tests. The results of the generation mean analysis indicated that the additive genetic effects (d) significantly accounted for a large proportion of variability observed for pod yield in the crosses evaluated. A partial dominance loci (H/D< 0.75) and over dominance loci (H/D>1.00) revealed an intermediate performance and the possibility of developing hybrids for pod yield. Narrow sense heritability estimates (sensus stricto) were low to moderate. An additive genetic effect suggests that selection among segregating population could provide an average improvement in the performance of pod yield in subsequent generations. The study indicated that the inheritance of pod yield was polygenic, thus safeguarding against genetic loss of pod yield in selection process.
Adeniji and Olawale Taiwo , 2007. Heritability and Number of Genes Governing Pod Yield in West African Okra (Abelmoschus caillei (A.chev) Stevels . Agricultural Journal, 2: 483-486.