CHARACTER ASSOCIATION AND PATH ANALYSIS STUDIES IN OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L. MOENCH)

The present investigation was undertaken to estimate the correlation and path analysis for fruit yield and yield contributing characters in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench).Twenty-one genotypes were sown in a randomized block design with three replications during summer season.The characters studied were, plant height, number of leaves, internodal length, number of nodes at 60 DAS and 90 DAS, days to 50 % flowering, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, fruit length and fruit yield per plant.Correlation studies indicated the fruit yield per plant showed a highly significant and positive association with plant height, number of leaves, number of nodes at 60 and 90 DAS, internodal length at 60 DAS, average fruit weight, number of fruits per plant and fruit length.Hence, these traits could be considered as important for improving fruit yield in okra.The path analysis revealed that number of nodes at 60 and 90 DAS, number of leaves and inter nodal length at 90 DAS, average fruit weight, number of fruits per plant and fruit length had a direct and positive effect on fruit yield per plant.Hence, importance must give to these characters because they are directly proportional to fruit yield per plant.