Morphological and Yield Attributes of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) as Influenced by Vermicompost + NPK Nutrient Sources

Abstract

The use of organic waste as alternative nutrient source in vegetable production has been a practice of farmers for ages. The aim of this study was to assess the relative efficiency of vermicompost, mineral fertilizer (NPK) or mixture of both on the morphological and yield attributes of okra. Field experiments were conducted in a crop farmer’s field about 5km from the Teaching and Research Farm of the Delta State University, Abraka, (latitude 5⁰ 46’N and longitude 6⁰ 5’E)  Nigeria Abraka Forest Farm Reserve, in early cropping (March-July) and late cropping (August-December) seasons of 2010, 2011 and 2012. The vermicomposts (VC) were prepared from organic wastes (mixtures of food wastes, vegetable clippings, fruit wastes, animal manures and other organic residues). The test crop was okra (var. NHAE 47-4). Six treatments, namely: control (no application), 100%NPK, 100%VC, 85%VC + 15%NPK, 50%VC+ 50%NPK and 15%NPK + 85%VC.  The six treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Plant morphological characters studied were plant height, leaf number, internode length, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight and relative water content while number of pods per plant, pod yield per plant and harvest index were the yield attributes. Crop growth parameters such as plant height, leaf number and internode length tended to significantly (P<0.05) increase with higher quantity of vermicompost. The fresh and dry weights per plant significantly increased with addition of organic amendments in form of vermicompost into the soil. On the average 100%NPK recorded the highest relative water content, with 100% vermicompost indicating the least. The response of yield and yield components of okra to soil organic amendments was significant (P<0.05). The 100% vermicompost consistently gave higher number of pods per plant and pod yield per plant. The results showed that vermicompost alone and in mixture with NPK significantly increased the plant morphological parameters and yield and yield components.

Keywords: okra, yield, vermicompost, organomineral fertilizer, organic wastes