Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.

Sci (2019) 8(12): 1363-1367

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences

ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 8 Number 12 (2019)
Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019.812.164

Effect of Different Levels of Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Okra

A. A. Shelke1, S. B. Wadatkar1 and R. M. Beldar2*

1
Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 2Department of Soil and Water
Conservation Engineering, Dr. PDKV, Akola, India

*Corresponding author

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to study the effect of different fertilizer levels on growth
and yield of okra crop at Research Farm of Department of Irrigation and Drainage
Engineering, College of Agriculture Engineering and Technology, Dr. PDKV, Akola
during 03 Dec 2016 to 04 Mar 2017. The experimental was laid in randomized block
Keywords design (RBD) with seven treatments and three replications (I 1T1-60% ETc with
Okra, Vegetable, Polyethylene mulch and 60% RDF, I1T2-60% ETc with Polyethylene mulch and 80% RDF,
India, Nigeria, I1T3-60% ETc with Polyethylene mulch and 100% RDF, I2T1-80% ETc with Polyethylene
Pakistan, mulch and 60% RDF, I2T2-80% ETc with Polyethylene mulch and 80% RDF, I2T3-80% ETc
Cameroon, Iraq with Polyethylene mulch and 100% RDF and control-100% ETc without Polyethylene
mulch and 100% RDF).Seeds of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) of the variety Phule
Article Info Utkarsha were sown with seed rate of 8 kgha-1. The recommended fertilizer dose of
Accepted: 100:50:50 N: P: K Kg/ha and as per treatments was given through fertigation in five equal
12 November 2019 splits. All the growth and yield parameters were found maximum under treatment
Available Online: I2T3while the quality parameter was found maximum for treatment I 2T2. The treatment I2T3
10 December 2019 (80%ETc with 100% RDF and plastic mulch) has given maximum yield of 116.26q/ha.
The lowest yield was observed under control treatment (10.15 q/ha). Okra crop should be
grown under polyethylene mulch and drip irrigation at 80% crop evapotranspiration and
100% RDF for highest production.

Introduction Cameroon, Iraq and Ghana. The area and

production of okra in world is 1.83 million
Okra, Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench is a hector and 9.62 million tons respectively with
popular vegetable in tropical and sub-tropical the productivity of 5.26 tons per hector. India
countries of the world grown for its pod. It is a is the largest producer of okra in world with
member of the hibiscus family, Malvaceae and area of 0.53 Million hector, production of6.35
has the typical floral characteristics of that million tons and productivity of 11.91 tons per
family. Originating from Africa, it is now hector (NHB, 2017). Fertilizer is a material
widely distributed in the tropics including and that is added to the soil to supply one or more
most popular in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, elements required for plant growth and

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development (Masarirambi et al., 2012). The intersection of 20040’ north latitude and
application of fertilizer is necessary for 77002’ east longitude. The climate of the area
enhancing the soil nutrient status and is semi-arid, characterized by three distinct
increasing crop yield. Okra requires nutrients seasons; mainly summer being hot and dry
such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), from March to May, the warm and rainy
potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na) and monsoon from June to October and winter
Sulphur (S) for fertility maintenance and crop with mild cold from November to February.
production. These nutrients are specific in The mean annual maximum and minimum
function and must be supplied to plants at the temperature are 48.23oC and 22.05oC in
right time and at the right quantity. Lack of summer and 32.88oC and 14.35oC in winter
sufficient amounts of these nutrients result in respectively. Average annual precipitation is
poor performance of the crop with growth 760 mm.
been affected resulting to low yield (Shukla
and Naik, 1993). With the different Soil analysis
concentrations of the NPK fertilizers, the yield
and growth rate of the plant may also be To study the physical and chemical properties
different, thus there is a need to investigate the of soil four samples were collected from the
effects of different level of NPK fertilizers on corner and one from the centre of the field at
growth and yield of okra. The broad objective depths of 10 cm, 20 cm and 30 cm with the
of this research is to assess the effect of help of auger. Soil samples were tested in
different levels of NPK fertilizer and to study laboratory of Department of Agricultural
the most appropriate quantity or level of Chemistry and Soil Science, Dr. PDKV,
fertilizer for the optimum growth and yield of Akola. The results are presented in Table
okra. 1.The soil moisture constants in terms of field
capacity and permanent wilting point were
Materials and Methods determined using the standard procedure
suggested by Michael (1978) and presented in
A field study was carried outduring 03 Dec Table 2.
2016 to 04 Mar 2017 at the field of the
Department of Irrigation and Drainage Experiment design and layout
Engineering, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi
Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra, India to The experimental was laid in randomized
study the effect of different level of fertilizers block design (RBD) with seven treatments and
on growth and yield of okra. The three replications, the treatments are I1T1-
climatological data (data on the daily pan 60% ETc with Polyethylene mulch and 60%
evaporation) was collected from Agro RDF, I1T2- 60% ETc with Polyethylene mulch
Meteorology Centre Department of and 80% RDF, I1T3- 60% ETc with
Agronomy, Dr. PDKV. Akola during the Polyethylene mulch and 100% RDF, I2T1-
period of investigation 80% ETc with Polyethylene mulch and 60%
RDF, I2T2- 80% ETc with Polyethylene mulch
Experimental site (location and climate) and 80% RDF, I2T3- 80% ETc with
Polyethylene mulch and 100% RDF and
Akola is situated in Western Vidarbha region Control - 100% ETc without Polyethylene
of Maharashtra state and comes under sub- mulch and 100% RDF. A field of size 31 m x
tropical zone, at an altitude of 307.415 m 15.5 m was selected for experimental studies.
above mean sea level (MSL) at the The field was divided into seven equal

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treatment of 55.8 m2. The single treatment was Biometric observation

again divided in to three replication of equal
size (3.6 x 4.5 m) with a buffer strip of 0.3 m Height of the plant (cm)
between giving plant density of 90 plants per
plot. The plastic mulch film (silver up and From the Table 5 it can be seen that the
black down) of 50 µm thickness was used to highest plant height (109.67 cm) was observed
cover six treatments, and control treatment at 90 DAS for the treatment I2T3 (80% ETc
was kept uncovered. with 100% RDF and PM). Also the lowest
plant height (37.13 cm) was observed for
Seeds of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) of control treatment (100 % ETc without mulch
the variety Phule Utkarsha were sown with and with 100% RDF) at 90 DAS respectively.
seed rate at 8 kgha-1. The field was ploughed After 90 DAS treatments I2T3 and I2T2 were
and levelled properly. statistically at par and both were significantly
superior over I1T1, I1T2, I1T3, I2T1 and control
The recommended fertilizer dose of 100:50:50 treatments.
N: P: K Kg/ha and according to different
treatments was given through fertigation in Number of branches per plant
five equal splits. The schedule of fertigation is
given in Table 3. It can be observed from the Table 5 maximum
number of branches (14.67) were observed in
Before sowing, common irrigation was treatment I2T2 followed by treatment
applied on 1st December 2016 to the field to I2T3(14.4) and I1T3(13.06) respectively. The
bring the soil to field capacity for better minimum number of branches (7.8) were
germination. After sowing on 3rd December, observed in control treatment (100% ETcwith
2016, the irrigation was provided on every 100% RDF and without PM). The treatment
alternate day by drip irrigation at 60, 80 and I2T2and I2T3 were statistically at par with each
100, per cent ETc levels. other and both were superior over
tretmentsI1T1,I1T2,I1T3,I2T1 and control.
Results and Discussion
Canopy cover (cm2)
The study of effect of different fertilizer levels
on growth and production of okra was carried From Table 5 it is seen that at 90 DAS
out by observing and recording the growth, treatment I2T3 recorded highest canopy cover
yield and quality parameters of okra crop. (2873.91 cm2); significantly lowest canopy
cover was found in control treatment (564.87
The growth parameters (i.e. plant height, cm2). After 90 DAS treatments I2T3 & I2 T2
number of branches and canopy cover) were were statistically at par and both were
recorded 30, 60 and 90 days after germination. significantly superior over I1T1, I1T2, I1T3, I2T1
The yield parameters (i.e. number of fruits per and control treatments.
plant, average yield per plant and fruit yield
from each plot) and the quality parameter (i.e. Average yield of okra per plant (gm)
length of fruit) was recorded at the time of
harvest. The field observations on each From the above Table 5 it is seen that highest
biometric character was taken and analyzed. yield of fruit weight was recorded in treatment
The results are discussed below and presented I2T3 (408.96gm) followed by I2T2 (394.69gm),
in Table 4. I2T1 (371.26gm), I1T3 (368.18gm) and the

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lowest value of fruit weight was observed for and drip irrigation at 80% crop
the control treatment (129.46gm). Treatments evapotranspiration and 100% RDF for highest
I2T3, I2T2, I2T1 and I1T3 were at par and production.
significantly superior over I1T2, I1T1 and
control treatments. References

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How to cite this article:

Shelke, A. A., S. B. Wadatkar and Beldar, R. M. 2019. Effect of Different Levels of Fertilizer
on Growth and Yield of Okra. Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci. 8(12): 1363-1367.
doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019.812.164

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