Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

RESPONSE OF SUMMER OKRA (CV. PHULE UTKARSHA) TO IRON, ZINC, MAGNESIUM AND BORON IN INCEPTISOL

M.D. Ghogare, P.B. Jagtap, M.B. Kadam and A.A. Bhagat

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for two seasons to study the response of summer okra (cv. Phule Utkarsha) to iron, zinc, magnesium and boron in Inceptisol at Regional Fruit Research Station, Ganeshkhind, Pune (M.S.) during 2008-2009. The objective of experiment was to study the effect of iron, zinc, magnesium and boron on growth, yield, quality, nutrient uptake of okra and soil properties after harvest of okra. The treatments comprised of foliar sprays of FeSO4 , ZnSO4 MgSO4 @ (0.5%), boric acid (0.2%) and soil application of FeSO4, ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1each and borax @ 5 kg ha-1 . The soil was deficient in iron, zinc and boron content. The experiment was laid in RBD with three replications. The pooled results of experiment for two years revealed that the soil application of FeSO4 + ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1each + Borax @ 5 kg ha-1 registered significantly higher plant height (133.32 cm), higher number of nodes per plant (24.38). The foliar spray of FeSO4 + ZnSO4 (0.5%) + boric acid (0.2%) registered significantly higher fruit diameter (1.60 cm), higher fruit length (11.43cm) and soil application of FeSO4 + ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1each registered significantly higher fruit weight (11.69 gm). The micronutrient application to okra helped to improve yield parameters. The soil application of FeSO4 + ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1each + borax @ 5 kg ha-1 registered significantly higher yield (196.53 q ha-1) which was at par with foliar spray of FeSO4 + ZnSO4 (0.5%) + boric acid (0.2%) (190. 21 q ha- 1), and foliar spray of FeSO4 + ZnSO4 (0.5% each) (186.67 q ha-1). The uptake of micronutrients was significantly higher due to soil application of FeSO4 + ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 each + borax @ 5 kg ha-1. The application of FeSO4, ZnSO4 and borax either alone or in combination helped to increase the uptake of nutrients over water spray. In general, the combined application of FeSO4 + ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 each + borax@ 5 kg ha-1 as soil application and foliar sprays of FeSO4 (0.5%) + ZnSO4 (0.5%) + boric acid (0.2%), both treatments found significantly effective in increasing the yield of okra and maintaining soil properties, in iron, zinc and boron deficient soil.