Abstract
Inter-character correlations and path coefficient analysis of yield related characters were evaluated in some quantitative traits of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) grown in different cropping seasons. Data collected were subjected to correlation and path coefficient analyses to determine the relationships among the characters and the direct and indirect effects of some yield related characters on seed yield. Correlation coefficients among characters varied among seasons. Days to flowering, number of pods per plant, length of matured pod, weight of matured pods per plant, number of ridges per pod, number of seeds per pod and 100 seed weight had significant genotypic correlations with seed yield/plant across the seasons. Environmental correlation coefficients were generally low and non-significant except for number of leaves per plant, length of matured pod, width of matured pod and weight of matured pods per plant in all the seasons of study. The genotypic correlation coefficients of eight selected characters with seed yield were partitioned into their direct and indirect effects. Weight of matured pods per plant had the largest direct effect on seed yield/plant in early rain 2005, (season 1) and off season, 2006 (season 2), branch length in the early rain, 2006 (season 3) and stem height at flowering in late rain 2006 (season 4). The residual effects of 0.16 in season 1, 0.74 in season 2, 0.55 in season 3 and 0.38 in season 4 implied that 84%, 26%, 45% and 62%, respectively of the total variation could be accounted for by the characters utilized in this study.
