Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

INTERACTION EFFECTS OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM ON SOIL AVAILABLE NUTRIENT STATUS, YIELD AND ECONOMICS OF OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L.)

B. Naveen Kumar, G. Padmaja and P. Chandrasekhar Rao

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2011 on a sandy loam soil (Alfisol) at Student’s Farm, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad with a view to study the effect of le vels of nitrogen (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg N ha-1) and potassium (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg K ha-1) on okra pod yield and soil available nutrient status. Randomized Block Design (RBD) with factorial concept was followed. The pod yield of okra was significantly increased with nitrogen, potassium and their interactions. Among the different interactions (N×K), the highest pod yield (126.17 q ha-1) was recorded by combined application of nitrogen @ 180 kg ha-1 + potassium @ 90 kg ha-1 (N3K3) which was on par with nitrogen @ 180 kg ha-1 + potassium @ 60 kg K2O ha-1 (N3K2). With regard to soil available nutrient status, N3K3 recorded the highest available N and K2O contents in soil at all the stages of crop growth, the percent increase being 64.1 (30 DAS), 90.6 (60 DAS) and 81.9 (at 90 DAS) over control (N0K0). Similarly available potassium increased by 34.8 (30 DAS), 23.2 (60 DAS) and 32.7 (at 90 DAS) against control (N0K0). From the results it was evident that higher levels of N and K had met the requirement of okra crop at different growth stages, which was reflected in terms of yield.