TIRAKANNANAVAR, SHANTAPPAJAGADEESHA, R. C.BASAVARAJ, N.GASTI, V. D.SURESH, G. J.GOWDA V, HARSHAVARDHAN2018-07-072018-07-072015-07UHSBhttp://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810058123TH526Studies on evaluation of early generation inbred lines for combining ability and heterosis, to find out the optimum crossing ratio of male to female flowers and optimum retention of crossed fruit per plant for hybrid seed production (Arka Anamika x IC550848) in okra were undertaken in Department of Biotechnology and Crop Improvement at Kittur Rani Channamma College of Horticulture, Arabhavi. Total 94 hybrids derived by crossing 47 lines with two testers were evaluated along with parents and commercial check in Latin square design and data was subjected to line x tester analysis. Variance due to crosses was significant for all the growth, earliness, yield and quality parameters studied. Comprehensive assessment of parents by considering gca effects of 19 characters studied has resulted into identification of 17 lines as good combiners for over all characters, 24 lines as poor combiner and tester IC550848 as good combiners over all characters. Comprehensive assessment of crosses by considering standard heterosis values of 19 characters revealed that, out of 94 crosses, 82 crosses were highly heterotic, four were average heterotic and eight were low heterotic. Among the 82 highly heterotic crosses, 13 crosses involved high x high parental combinations (over all gca status), 38 crosses involved high x low or low x high , five cross involved average x high, eight cross involved low x average and 17 cross involved low x low parental combinations (over all gca status). The crossing ratio of 1:4 as resulted in higher seed yield and seed quality parameters. Study confirms that, 1:4 is an ideal crossing ratio for okra. The crossed fruit load of six fruits on plant as resulted in higher seed yield and seed quality parameters, indicating that optimum fruit load on plant should be six for hybrid seed production.ennullThesis