Morphorgenic Effect of UV-Light on Two Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench. (Okra) Accessions

Background and Objective: Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is an annual vegetable crop belonging to the family Malvaceae; with several cultivated species of economic importance, such as Abelmoschus esculentus and Abelmoschus caillei.This study aimed to identify the interplay between Ultra-Violet C and the morphogenic characters of two okra accessions: Green stem accession (GSA) and red stem accession (RSA).Materials and Methods: Seed exposure to UV-C was conducted at various time intervals: 40, 80, 120 and controls, for both accessions.Data were collected on a weekly basis and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) Version 2022, while the level of significance was determined by Tukey's HDS test at a 0.05% confidence level.Results: No significant UV-C effect on the germination of GSA and RSA seeds, including control.The UV-C did not significantly (p>0.05)affect the growth pattern of both test varieties from weeks 1-10.Microscopic examination of pollen morphology revealed bright-pale yellow, trigonal-irregular-shaped grains tapered at the end, with RSA 120 having the highest pollen size (29.1 m).The highest leaf number was recorded at GSA80 (16.339.24)and RSA80 (16.873.84)at week 10.Petiole length was highest at GSA120 (24.672.60),followed by RSA120 (22.330.67).Capsule number and yield increased with an increase in UV-C doses from 40 to 120, with the lowest recorded among the controls.Conclusion: The UV-C irradiation at 120 min or more should be used for high-yielding okra varieties.This will promote both nutritional and nutraceutical qualities of the test crop and help in the fight against nutrient-deficiency diseases; especially in rural communities.