The document presents a detailed overview of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), highlighting its nutritional benefits, importance in various cuisines, origin, and cultivation. It discusses genetic resources, breeding objectives, methods, and improved varieties developed for resistance to diseases and high yield. Key challenges include disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance, with India being the largest producer of okra globally.

1. DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS AND PLANT BREEDING
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE
ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY
GPB 513 – BREEDING VEGETABLE CROPS - (2+1)
PRSENATATION ON BEEDDING FOR OKRA
SUBMITTED BY
A.VIKRAMAN
II M.SC. AGRI GPB

2. INTRODUCTION
• Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is an important vegetable grown for its
green tender fruits which are used as a vegetable in a variety of ways.
• It is rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium as well as antioxidants that
help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes, stroke
and heart disease.
• It can be fried and cooked with necessary ingredients.
• Matured fruit and stems containing crude fiber are used in the paper industry.
• It is called lady's finger in England, gumbo in the United States of America,
guino-gombo in Spanish, guibeiro in Portuguese and bhindi in India.

3. TAXONOMY
• Kingdom : Plantae
• Division : Magnoliophyta
• Class : Magnoliopsida
• Order : Malvales
• Family : Malvaceae
• Genus : Abelmoschus
• Species : esculentus

4. ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION
• Okra is originated from tropical and subtropical Africa.
• Existence of large number of related species with wide variability and
dominant characters suggest possible role of India as a secondary centre of
origin.
• There are two hypotheses concerning the geographical origin
• 1. One putative ancestor (A. tuberculatus) is native to Uttar Pradesh in
northern India.
• 2. On the basis of ancient cultivation in East Africa and the presence of the
other putative ancestor (A. ficulneus), suggest that the area of domestication
is north Egypt or Ethiopia.

5. Contd…
• Cultivated and wild species clearly show overlapping in Southeast Asia, which
is considered as the centre of diversity.
• Eight Abelmoschus species occur in India and out of these, A. esculentus is the
only known cultivated species. The cultivated okra has somatic chromosome
number 2n = 130.
• India is the largest producer of okra in the world.
• In India, major okra growing states are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
• Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, and Pakistan are the other major okra cultivating
countries.
• It is commonly grown through the warmer parts of temperate Asia, southern
Europe, northern Africa, the United States, and in all parts of the tropics.

6. Map showing worldwide okra production

7. GENETIC RESOURCE
• Eight Abelmoschus species occur in India.
• Accessions resistance to YVMV are
a) A. manihot e) A. tuberculatus
b) A. angulosus f) A. panduraeformis
c) A.crinitus g) A. pungens
d) A. vitifolius h) A. tetraphyllus
• A. manihot ssp. manihot is a good source of resistance to YVMV and has been
widely used in resistance breeding.
• Several varieties of okra showing resistance to YVMV disease have been
developed using wild species A. manihot (L.) Medikus ssp. Manihot and the
cultivated variety Parbhani Kranti as a source of resistance.

8. GERMPLASM CONSERVATION
• More than 2,500 accessions of cultivated and wild species are maintained
both as base and active collection in the National Genebank at National
Bureau of Plant Genetic Resource at NBPGR Regional Station in Akola,
Maharashtra.
• As per recent International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)
germplasm database, more than 46 institutions in different countries
worldwide possess about 11,000 accessions of cultivated okra and wild
related species.

9. BOTANICAL DESCRIPTIONS
• Okra is an herbaceous annual plant.
• Stem: Small and Erect.
• Leaves: Heart shaped, Alternate, 10-20 cm long.
• Height: 1.2-1.8 m tall.
• Propagation: Typically propagated from seed.
• Chromosome Number: 2n = 130 and 2n = 72

10. FLORAL BIOLOGY
• FLOWER : Solitary, long peduncle
• EPICALYX : Long, narrow hairy
• CALYX : Splits longitudinally as the flower open
• PETALS : 5, yellow in color
• STAMENS : Staminal column is united to base of Petal
• with many stamens
• OVARY : Superior
• FRUITS : Capsule
• POLLEN VIABILITY: 55 days
• PROTOGYNY : Allogamy, but out cross by insect 19%

11. BOTANY
• Cultivated bhendi is an annual herb with duration of 90-100 days.
• Flowers are bisexual and often cross pollinated.
• Time of anthesis is 8.00 – 10.00 a.m.
• Dehiscence of anthers occurs 15-20 minutes after and is completed in 5-10
minutes.
• Pollen fertility is maximum in the period between one hour before and
opening of flower.
• It takes 2 to 6 hours for fertilization after pollination..
• Stigma is receptive at opening of flower and hence, bud pollination is not
effective in okra.

12. BREEDING OBJECTIVES
1. To breed early maturing and late senescing varieties.
2. To evolve high yielding varieties capable of an increased marketable yield of
dark green, tender, long, smooth pods. High yield of seed would be an added
advantage.
3. To breed varieties with optimum seed setting ability for rapid multiplication.
4. Pods free from conspicuous hair, seed bulging and yellow ring at base
5. Pods suitable for processing industry.
6. To develop varieties suitable for export market.

13. Contd…
7. To evolve varieties and hybrids for wider adaptability.
8. To develop varieties/hybrids resistant to virus diseases such as Okra Mosaic
Virus, Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus (YVMV) and leafcurl; fungal diseases such as
vascular wilt, Cercospora blight, powdery mildew, fruit rot and damping off.
9. Insect pests such as shoot and fruit borer, leafhopper, apdhids, whitefly etc.
10. Tolerance to abiotic stresses (low temperature, excessive rains, saline and
alkaline soils)
11. Plants with dwarf height and more number of nodes and short internodes.

14. BREEDING METHODS
1. Introduction:
A cultivar from Africa (Ghana) known as A. manihot sp. manihot introduced
into India has been successfully used as a source of resistance to YVMV.
2. Pure-line Selection:
This is applicable to landraces/cultivars collected from Farmers’ field, for
example, Pusa Makhmali was bred from a material collected from West Bengal.
Similarly,
Co 1 is a single plant selection from Red Wonder.

15. Contd…
3. Pedigree Method:
• This method is applicable to the segregating generations after
hybridization between desirable promising donors.
• The individual plant selection starts in the F2 generation and continues till
F5 or F6. For example, Pusa Sawani was developed through this method in
an inter-varietal cross.
• Punjab Padmini, Parbhani Kranti, P7, Arka Anamika and Arka Abhaya are
examples following interspecific hybridization.

16. Contd…
4. Mutation breeding
Two bhindi varieties have been developed in India using mutation breeding method: MDU 1
and Punjab 8 (EMS 8) using gamma rays and Ethyl Methyl Sulfonate respectively.
5. Heterosis breeding
Heterosis in okra has been reported for various economic traits, viz. early and late flowering,
plant height, number, weight and size of pods, number of ridges, marketable and total yield.
The prominent hybrids which have high yield potential and high level of tolerance to YVMV
in Indian market presently are as follows:
Mahyco: MH10, MH64 Nunhems: Sonal
Syngenta: Syn 16, 152 Bio-seeds: Avantika
Krishdhan Seeds: Hyb 215 and 577

17. IMPROVED VARIETIES
Arka Anamika
• Developed by interspecific hybridization of
(Abelmoschus esculentus X A. manihot spp
tetraphyllus var. tetraphyllus) followed by
back cross method of breeding.
• Fruits lush green, tender and long. Fruits free
from spines having 5-6 ridges, delicate aroma.
Good keeping and cooking qualities. Field tolerant
to YVMV. Yield 20 t/ha.

18. Contd…
Arka Abhay
• It is a sister line of Arka Anamika.
An interspecific hybrid between Abelmoschus
esculentus (IIHR 20-31) x A. manihot spp.
tetraphyllus (Res. To YVMV) followed by backcross.
• Fruits free from spines having delicate aroma.
Good keeping and cooking qualities. Resistant to
yellow vein mosaic virus (YVMV) duration 120-130
davs Yield 18 t/h.

19. Contd…
Arka Nikitha
This okra hybrid between GMS-4 X IIHR-299-14-11-585, has been identified for
release by the Institute VTIC during 2017.
It is developed through geneic male sterile line.
Produces dark green, medium, smooth and tender fruits. Excellent cooking
quality. Yields 21-24 t/ha in 125-130 days duration.

20. Contd…
Pusa Sawani
Early, plants generally single stemmed, fruits 12-15 cm long. 5 edged, smooth
and dark green when fully developed, suitable for spring summer cultivation.
Less sensitive to temperature fluctuations but sensitive to virus. Maturity 50
days (first harvest). Yield 120 q/ha.
Initially resistant and later became susceptible to YVMV.

21. Contd…
Pusa Makhmali: Fruits are medium long.
Productivity 8-10 t/ha. Susceptible to YVMV.
Pusa A-4: Plants with short internodes.
Fruits 5-ridged, dark green and medium long
with excellent shelflife. Productivity 10-12 t/ha.
Resistant to YVMV, Jassids and fruit borer.

22. Contd…
Parbhani Kranti: Developed through back cross
method form A. esculentus cv. Pusa Sawani x
A. manihot ssp manihot. Fruits 5-ridged, dark green,
B. medium long. Productivity 9.0 -11.5 t/ha.
Hisar Unnat (HRB 55): Plants 3-4 branched, early and high yielding (12-
13t/ha).

23. Contd…
MDU-1 (TNAU): Developed through gamma irradiation of seeds of Pusa
Sawani. Plants compact with close arrangement of nodes. Fruits 5 ridged, light
green, medium long. Productivity 10-11 t/ha. Susceptible to YVMV.
Punjab-8 (EMS 8): Induced mutation from Pusa Sawani by treating seed with
1%, resistant to YVMV and tolerant to fruit borer.

24. DIVERSITY IN OKRA

25. THANK YOU