Genetic Variability, Multivariate Analysis and Identification of Yield-Contributing Traits in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

Okra is an important vegetable crop in tropical, subtropical, and temperate region of the world. Yet, productivity remains strongly influenced by genotype and seasonal environment. This study evaluated the extent of genetic variability and trait relationships among eight okra genotypes grown during the Kharif season (March–June 2025) under AEZ-14 conditions. The experiment followed a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Observations were recorded for phenological, vegetative, and yield-related traits, followed by analyses of variance, genetic parameters, and principal component analysis. Significant differences were observed for all characters, confirming substantial variability among genotypes. Days to first flowering ranged from 30.33 to 34.00 days, while fruit yield per plant varied widely from 128.93 g to 230.08 g. The highest yield was obtained from OLR-3 (230.08 g), followed by Century and Sobujsathi (210.33 g). Fruit length (10.57–17.30 cm), fruit diameter (1.23–2.13 cm), and single fruit weight (11.70–15.00 g) also exhibited marked variation. Phenotypic coefficients of variation exceeded genotypic values for all traits, indicating environmental influence, although moderate to high GCV was observed for fruit yield per plant (17.18), fruit length (15.75), and fruit number per plant (12.05). Broad-sense heritability was high for plant height (98%) and leaf number (83%), while fruit yield per plant showed moderate heritability (68%). Principal component analysis revealed that the first three components explained 81.9% of total variation, with PC1 alone accounting for 41.4% and strongly associated with yield and fruit traits. Genotypes positioned positively along PC1, particularly OLR-3 and Century, demonstrated superior yield potential. The findings highlight the presence of exploitable genetic variability and emphasize fruit yield per plant, fruit number, fruit length, and single fruit weight as key selection criteria for okra improvement under Bangladeshi conditions.