RESPONSE OF SILICA ENRICHED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ON PEST INFESTATION AND DISEASE INCIDENCE OF OKRAV.K. Meena, R.A. Kaushik, K.D. Ametha, R.H. Meena and R.L. MeenaAbstract An investigation conducted at open field of Horticulture farm, Department of Horticulture, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur during two consecutive seasons of 2019 and 2020. The factorial experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications, assigning Seven levels of silica enriched nutrient management (Control, 25 tonnes FYM/ha + Silica Diatomaceous 2%, RDF + Silica diatomaceous 2%, RDF + 25 tonnes FYM/ha + Silica diatomaceous 2%, RDF + 25 tonnes FYM/ha + Silica diatomaceous 4%, RDF + 25 tonnes FYM/ha + Silica diatomaceous 6% and RDF + 25 tonnes FYM/ha + Silica diatomaceous 8%) and four levels of spray scheduling (Three weeks after sowing, Five weeks after sowing, Seven weeks after sowing and Nine weeks after sowing). The whole field was divided into three blocks each representing a replication and each replication consists of 28 treatments combination. The results showed that silica enriched nutrient management levels non-significantly improved insect pest and disease incidence percentage of okra crop during both the years of investigation. The maximum growth attributes was recorded with RDF + 25 t FYM/ha + silica diatomaceous 8% (F7) being at par with RDF + 25 t FYM/ha + silica diatomaceous 6% (F6) and RDF + 25 t FYM/ha + silica diatomaceous 4% (F5) during first and second year of investigation. Spray scheduling also significantly enhanced growth, yield attributes and yield of okra crop and recorded maximum values with S1(three weeks after sowing) being at par with S2(five weeks after sowing) during both the years of The investigation. |