Performance of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) under different fertilizer management

Abstract

Sustainable okra farming can be achieved by using precision nutrient management and advanced application methods to improve vegetative growth and overall productivity. A field investigation was carried out during the rabi 2024-25 season, at the Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Dapoli, Maharashtra to evaluate the effect of different fertilizer application methods and doses on performance of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.). The experiment was arranged in a strip-plot design with three vertical strip treatments viz., soil application (M1), fertigation (M2) and soil test-based fertigation (M3); and four horizontal strip treatments viz., absolute control (F0), 60 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer (F1), 80 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer (F2) and 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer (F3). The findings revealed that, the treatment soil test-based fertigation (M3) significantly enhanced plant growth parameters viz., plant height, number of functional leaves per plant, number of branches per plant and dry matter accumulation per plant and yield components i.e. number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant and fruit yield per hectare while maintaining post-harvest soil fertility. Among fertilizer doses, the treatment 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer (F3) demonstrated superior performance in growth attributes and yield, often performing on par with the treatment 80 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer. Among all the treatment combinations, plants receiving soil test-based fertigation with 100 per cent fertilizer dose (M3F3) showed significantly higher growth parameters, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant and maximum fruit yield per hectare compared to other treatment combinations under study. These results suggest that, precision fertigation based on soil testing coupled with balanced fertilization can significantly improve okra productivity while maintaining soil health.