Quote:
Originally Posted by Worth1
..... I have read two things about pollination, one is it will cross really easy like corn from field to field. the other is it is like tomatoes and is self pollinating. I am in the 2nd camp on this....
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http://dbtbiosafety.nic.in/guidelines/okra.pdf
From
Biology of Okra, an Indian government publication - enjoy:
"Okra has perfect flowers (male and female reproductive parts in the same flower) and is self-pollinating. If okra flowers are bagged to exclude pollinators, 100% of the flowers will set seed. It has been found experimentally that there is no significant difference in fruit set under open-pollinated, self-pollinated (by bagging alone) and self-pollinated (hand pollination of bagged flowers), indicating that it is potentially a self-pollinated crop (Purewal and Randhawa, 1947). The inbreeding depression well pronounced in cross-pollinated crops has not been reported in this crop (Duranti, 1964).
Although insects are unnecessary for pollination and fertilization in case of okra, the flowers are very attractive to bees and the plants are cross-pollinated. The cross pollination upto the extent of 4-19% (Purewal and Randhawa, 1947; Choudhury and Anothai, Choomsai, 1970; Shalaby, 1972) with maximum of 42.2% (Mitidieri and Vencovsky 1974) has been reported. The extent of cross-pollination in a particular place will depend upon the cultivar, competitive flora, insect population and season, etc."