GENETIC DIVERSITY IN SOUTH ASIAN OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS-ESCULENTUS) GERMPLASM COLLECTION

Genetic diversity for a range of morphological characters within 260 a ccessions of okra collected from India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lank a was investigated through the use of uni-, bi- and multivariate stati stics. The pubescence and pigmentation of various plant parts, among q ualitative descriptors, seemed to be most significant in the analysis of variability. The multivariate analysis, mainly on quantitative desc riptors, using principal component and non-hierarchical cluster analys is suggested that days to flowering, plant height, and various fruit c haracteristics were important components of variability and contribute d significantly to the total variation observed. Only two of the 10 pr incipal components had eigen values more than 1 and together accounted for 54.52% of the total variation. The accessions were grouped into e ight distinct clusters which further emphasised the relative contribut ion of various quantitative characters to the total variability. The p attern of genetic variation is of great importance both to germplasm c ollectors and plant breeders. Specific accessions were also identified that could be passed on to breeders for utilisation in crop improveme nt programmes.