HYBIDIZATION STUDIES IN OKRA (Abelmoschus spp (L.) Moench) A Thesis Submitted to the DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR AGRICULTURE AND RADIATION PROCESSING (COLLEGE OF BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCES) UNIVERSITY OF GHANA BY AMITAABA THEOPHILUS (ID: 10444179) B Sc. Agricultural Technology (2010) (University for Development Studies, Tamale) IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN NUCLEAR AGRICULTURE (MUTATION BREEDING AND PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY OPTION) JULY, 2016 i DECLARATION This thesis is the result of research work undertaken by AMITAABA THOPHILUS in the Department of Nuclear Agriculture and Radiation Processing, School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, under the supervision of PROF. H.M AMOATEY and DR. SAMUEL AMITEYE ....................................... Date................................. AMITAABA THEOPHILUS (CANDIDATE) ……………………... Date …………………..... PROF. H.M AMOATEY (PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR) .................................... Date............................ DR. SAMUEL AMITEYE (SUPERVISOR) ii DEDICATION To JEHOVAH God Almighty be all the Glory This work is dedicated to my guardians and family especially my belovered wife Rebecca for their immeasurable support, inspiration, guidance, love and prayers. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMNT I am grateful, first and foremost to Jehovah God Almighty, for His Divine Grace, favour and sustenance to complete this work. I would like to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to my supervisors PROF. H.M AMOATEY and DR. SAMUEL AMITEYE for their valuable contributions, guidance, patience, encouragement and constructive suggestions towards the completion of this thesis. I would also like to acknowledge Mr. E.E Quartey, Manager of Nuclear Agriculture Centre of the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI)-GAEC for his support and valuable contributions toward the acquisition of land and Mr. Ahiakpa John, for some okra accessions for this thesis work. I would like to thank Mr. S. Laar, of BNARI and all the Research Scientists and Technologists at the Radiation Technology Centre of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission especially, Mr. J.K Apatey, .A Ayeh for their support and suggestions. I am also indebted to Mr. Ansah William Headmaster of St. Thomas Sec. Tech.Asamankese and Miss. Celestina Ayidah, Mr. Agbodjah Alex, Mr. Nyamesi Victus and Mr. Mensah-Kumi Richard of Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School and also to MR. A.K.B Deyang of Ministry of Food and Agriculture for their suggestions and support, and to all my colleagues who through diverse ways helped me to come out with this thesis. iv TABLE OF CONTENT DEDICATION .................................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMNT ....................................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENT ......................................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................. x LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................. xii LIST OF ABBREVIATION ..................................................................................................................xiii ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................... xvi CHAPTER ONE .................................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT ........................................................................................................ 3 1.1.2 JUSTIFICATION AND RELEVANANCE OF THE STUDY ........................................................... 5 1.1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH ........................................................................................... 8 The specific objectives of the research are; ............................................................................. 8 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................... 10 LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 10 2.1 ORIGIN, DISTRIBUTION AND UTILIZATION ........................................................................... 10 2.2 TAXONOMY, CYTOLOGY AND BOTANY ................................................................................ 14 2.3 HEALTH BENEFITS AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE ..................................................................... 17 2.4 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF OKRA .................................................................................... 18 2.5 SEED AS POTENTIAL EDIBLE OIL AND FLOUR SOURCE ......................................................... 19 2.6 STATUS OF OKRA IN THE LOCAL AND EXPORT MARKETS IN GHANA .................................. 20 2.7 ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF OKRA ...................................................................... 21 2.8 WEST AFRICAN OKRA ........................................................................................................... 21 2.9 WEST AFRICAN OKRA AS A POTENTIAL DONOR SPECIES ..................................................... 22 v 2.10 MECHANICS OF POLLINATION ........................................................................................... 23 2.11 CROSS-POLLINATION.......................................................................................................... 24 2.12 SELF-POLLINATION ............................................................................................................. 25 2.13 HERITABILITY AND TYPES OF GENETIC VARIABILITY .......................................................... 25 2.14 GENETIC IMPROVEMENT ................................................................................................... 28 2.15 GENETIC BASES OF HETEROSIS .......................................................................................... 30 2.16 INSECTS AND PESTS ........................................................................................................... 31 2.17 DISEASES ............................................................................................................................ 31 2.18 MOLECULAR MARKERS ...................................................................................................... 32 2.19 WEED COMPETITION ......................................................................................................... 32 REFERENCE ..................................................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................................. 47 HYBRIDISATION STUDIES OF OKRA (Abelmoschus spp. (L.) Moench) ........................................ 47 3.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 47 3.1.1 Objectives of the study .................................................................................................. 50 3.2 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................. 50 3.2.1 Experimental site .......................................................................................................... 50 3.2.2 Germplasm Assembly ................................................................................................... 51 3.2.3 Land Preparation ........................................................................................................... 52 3.2.4 Experimental Design ..................................................................................................... 53 3.2.5 Seed Sowing. ................................................................................................................. 53 3.2.6 Field Management Practices ......................................................................................... 53 3.2.7 Emasculation and crossing operation ............................................................................ 53 3.2.8 Tools for emasculation .................................................................................................. 55 3.2.9 Evaluation of hybridisation success. ............................................................................. 55 3.2.10: Estimation of hybridization success. .......................................................................... 56 3.2.11 Estimation of crossability index .................................................................................. 56 3.3 RESULTS ..............................................................................................................................