EFFECT OF DIFERENT LEVELS OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF OKRA ( Abelmoschus esculentus)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the central form or Shcr-c-Bauglu .\g.ricultural University Dhaka during the period from April 2005 to July 2005 to study the effect of different levels of nitrogen and potassium on the growth and yield of okra. There were four nitrogen levels (N0=0, N 1= 70, N2= 110 and N3= 160 kg N/ha) with four potassium levels (Ko=O, K1 =40, K2=80 and K3=120 kg K20/ha) in the experiment. The experiment was conducted in the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Nitrogen and potassium levels influenced the growth and yield of okra. The results of the experiment revealed that plant height, plant diameter, petiole length, leaves, breadth, number of leaves, number of branch, green pod length, pod diameter, number of green pod per plant, green pod yield per plant and green pod yield per hectare were significantly influenced by the different levels of nitrogen and potassium except plant diameter at 40 days after sowing (OAS). The highest levels of nitrogen ( 160 kg/ha) produced the highest green pod yield (9.602 ton/ha) while the lowest (6.278 ton/ha) was recorded from control treatment. The highest green pod yield (8.247 ton/ha) was observed from 80 kg of K20per/ha and the lowest (7.103 ton/ha) was recorded from the control treatment. The combined effect of various levels of nitrogen and potassium were also found significant except plant height, plant diameter,leaf length and leaf breadths at 20 DAS. The use of maximum nitrogen dose 160 kg N/ha and potassium 80 kg K20/ha produced the highest yield (9.99ton/ha) and lowest (5.94ton/ha) were recorded from the control treatments. The benefit cost ratio (BCR) was maximum 2.02 in the treatment combination of 160 kg N/ha + 80 kg K20/ha whereas the minimum 1.23 was recorded in the control treatment 0 kg N/ha + 0 kg K20/ha.