Physiological changes associated with Okra mosaic virus infection in field grown okra plants
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AJAB
Abstract
As a prerequisite for the breeding of virus-resistant okra cultivars, the effect of Okra
mosaic virusinfection on physiological performance of ten okra cultivars were assessed
under field conditions within the coastal savannah agro-ecological zone of Ghana. All
cultivars succumbed to the disease and expressed varying degrees of symptoms. The
results showed that plant height at initial and 50% flowering were significantly reduced
with cultivar Clemson spineless showing the highest reduction of 38% and 35%
respectively. Plant height at 50% podding was also reduced in all cultivars with the
highest reduction (40%) occurring in cultivar Clemson spineless. Virus-infected plants
of cultivars Kwabenya 1, Labadi dwarf and Asutem took on the average 43 days to
attain 50% flowering compared to 25 days in healthy or control plants. Diseased plants
had significantly (P<0.05) delayed, taking on the average 47 days after planting to
attain 50% podding compared to the control plants with an average of 35 days. Infected
plants of cultivars Kwabenya 1 and Labadi dwarf took the highest number of 51 days
to attain 50% podding. Pod length and width were also reduced in all cultivars but were
highest in cultivars Lucky 19 F1 and Clemson spineless at 52.19% and 46.25%
respectively. Based on this assessment, cultivars Adom and Asutem which were less
affected in terms of disease severity and fruit yield reduction could be exploited in
future breeding programmes.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Okra, Plant growth, Okra mosaic virus, Virus resistant, Symptoms