Twenty-nine okra accessions from different agro-ecological regions in Nigeria were grown during the rainy and dry seasons, between 2006 and 2007 at Abeokuta (derived savanah) and Ilishan (rainforest) and assessed to determine their genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance from eight yield related characters. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with five replications. There was high genotypic coefficient of variability, % broad-sense heritability and genetic advance in traits such as plant height (26.2, 90.7, 51.5), fresh pod length (23.9, 98.5, 48.8), fresh pod width (23.9, 98.5, 48.8), mature pod length (28.6, 98.5, 52.3), branching per plant (29.3, 82.3, 54.8) and pod weight per plant (33.9, 90.0, 63.3), suggesting the effect of additive genes and reliability of selection based on phenotype of these traits for crop improvement. The positive and significant phenotypic and genotypic correlation between plant height at maturity, fresh pod width, seeds per pod and pods per plant, branches per plant with seed weight per plant and pod weight per plant, suggests that selection on the basis of the phenotype of these characters will lead to high seed and pod yield in okra.Additional key words: accession; derived savannah; genetic advance; genotypic correlation; Nigeria; phenotype. Resumen Variabilidad y heredabilidad genética en quingombó [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] cultivadoSe cultivaron 29 accesiones de quingombó de diferentes regiones agro-ecológicas en Nigeria durante las estaciones lluviosas y secas de 2006 y 2007 en Abeokuta (derivada de la sabana) y Ilishan (selva) y se evaluaron para determinar la variabilidad genética, heredabilidad y avance genético de ocho caracteres relacionados con el rendimiento. El experimento fue en bloques completos al azar con cinco repeticiones. Hubo un alto coeficiente de variabilidad genotípi-ca, % de heredabilidad en sentido amplio y avance genético en caracteres como altura de planta (26,2; 90,7; 51,5, respectivamente), longitud de vaina fresca (23,9; 98,5; 48,8), ancho de vaina fresca (23,9; 98,5; 48,8), longitud de vaina madura (28,6; 98,5; 52,3), ramas por planta (29,3; 82,3; 54,8) y peso de vaina por planta (33,9; 90,0; 63,3), lo que sugiere un efecto aditivo de genes y fiabilidad de selección basada en el fenotipo de estos caracteres para mejorar los cultivos. La correlación positiva y significativa, fenotípica y genotípica entre la altura de la planta en la madurez, el ancho de la vaina fresca, las semillas por vaina, las vainas por planta y las ramas por planta, con el peso de las semillas por planta y el peso de las vainas por planta, sugiere que la selección en el quingombó basada en el fenotipo de estos caracteres conducirá a un alto rendimiento en semillas y vainas.

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This study was undertaken to determine the storability of pre-treated sesame seeds and to compare the effects of inorganic and organic seed treatments on the viability and vigour of sesame seeds during storage. Two hundred grammes of sesame seeds were treated separately with recommended dosages of Neem leaf powder (NLP), Dress force powder (DFP), Dry pepper powder (DPP) and untreated seeds being the control; each treatment placed in air-tight container and stored in a wooden cabinet at average ambient conditions of 26.5°C and 80% RH for a period of 18 weeks. Completely randomized design was used for the experiment, with storage time and seed treatment as factors. Samples were drawn from storage at interval of two weeks and tested for seed viability and seedling vigour. Seed germination, seedling vigour index, speed of germination and rate of germination were evaluated. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out on the data collected, and treatment means were separated using Duncan's Multiple Range Tests (DMRT). Correlation analysis was also carried out to ascertain the kinds of relationships that exist among the variables evaluated. Observations showed that NLP and DPP treatments had better mean seed germination of 89.53% and 82.35% respectively compared to DFP (46.47%) and control (80.76). NLP also enhanced better seedling vigour index (339.24) throughout the strorage time compared to DFP (99.74). It is therefore recommended that natural botanicals like NLP could be adopted for short and medium term storage of sesame seeds; as it maintaned seed viability and seedling vigour optimally among other treatments.

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