RESPONSE OF OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L. MOENCH) TO VARIOUS DOSES OF N & P AND DIFFERENT PLANT SPACINGS

Abstract

Seeds of okra cv. Sabz Pari were planted on both sides of raised beds prepared at a distance of 90 cm. Plant to plant distance was maintained as 15, 30 or 45 cm. N and P were applied @ 78 kg N + 92 kg P2O5, 112 kg N + 168 kg P2O5, 140 kg N + 200 kg P2O5 or 180 kg N + 240 kg P2O5 ha-1. Potassium was applied at a constant rate of 120 kg K2O ha-1. The entire amount of phosphorus and potash and half dose of nitrogen were applied at the time of sowing, while other half dose of nitrogen was applied at the time of flower initiation. Seed germination, growth and green pod yield were not affected by the fertilizer application. However, seed number per pod and seed yields were affected significantly and were highest at the higher doses of fertilizer. Plant spacing had no significant influence on seed germination, days taken to flowering and number of seeds per pod. However, length of green pod, number of green pods per plant, average weight per green pod, green pod yield per plant, number of mature pods per plant, 1000 seed weight and seed yield per plant were highest at the widest spacing. While, plant height at the time of flowering, green pod and seed yields per hectare were highest at the closest spacing. Regarding combined effect of the two factors, the highest green pod and seed yields per plant were recorded at all the fertilizer doses with the widest plant spacing. However, the highest green pod and seed yields per hectare were obtained at the higher fertilizer doses with the closest plant spacing.