Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer and Plant Density on Growth , Fruit Yield and its Components of Okra Plants

• Ibrahim El-Zael Ibrahim

  Horticulture department, Faculty of Agriculture, Omar Al-Mukhtar University

  Author

• Adel Ali Ben Soud

  Horticulture department, Faculty of Agriculture, Omar Al-Mukhtar University

  Author

This study was suggested to investigate the effects of five nitrogen levels; 0,70 , 115 , 160 , and 205Kg N/ha and four plant spacing ( 20, 30, 40 and 50 cm ) and their possible combinations on vegetative growth characters , fruit yield and its components of okra plants ( Abelmoschus esculentus L.Monech ), cultivar Clemson Spinless. The obtained results could be summarized as follows:

1- Increasing the level of applied nitrogen up to 205 Kg N/ha was       accompanied with significant increases in fresh and dry weights of each vegetative growth, leaves and branches/ plant, plant height, number of branches as well as number and area of leaves / plant .

 2- Gradual increases in the level of applied nitrogen up to 205 Kg N/ha,  significantly increased the total and early fruit yields , number and weight of fresh fruits / plant and the value of nitrogen use efficiency ( NUE ), in the two studied seasons . Meanwhile, the five levels of nitrogen did not significantly differ in their effects on length , diameter, as well as, fresh and dry weights of green fruit .

3- Increasing the distance between adjacent plants from 20 to 50 cm, significantly increased the studied characters of vegetative growth in the two growing seasons. Meanwhile, plant height was significantly decreased with increasing plant spacing .

4- Planting at narrow spacing ( 20 cm ) significantly increased early and total green fruit yields / ha and the value of nitrogen use efficiency in the two studied seasons; while, increasing the distance between plants up to 50 cm, statistically increased number and weight of green fruits / plant. On the other hand , the studied four spacing had no effects on length and diameter of fruit as well as its fresh and dry weights . The widest tow spacings , 40 and 50 cm, did not significantly differ in their effects on early fruit yield and NUE .

5- Planting okra plants at widest spacing ( 50 cm ) combined with 205 Kg N/ha , generally, produced the highest increases in the studied characters of vegetative growth in the two growing seasons; whereas , the highest value of plant height was obtained from plants spaced at 20 or 30 cm and fertilized with 115, 160 or 205 Kg N /ha.

6- The highest significant increases in the early and total green fruit yields  / ha, as well as the value of nitrogen use efficiency were, generally, achieved from plants spaced at 20 cm and fertilized with 160 or 205 Kg N/ha., meanwhile , planting at widest spacing combined with 205 Kg N/ha produced the highest fruit yield / plant in the first season .  The results of the second season, revealed that, the highest early and total fruit yields / ha were obtained at narrow spacing ( 20cm ) combined with 205 and 160 or 205 Kg N / ha ., respectively , meanwhile, growing okra plants at 50 cm with N fertilization at rate of 205 Kg N / ha., gave the highest number and weight of green fruits / plant. On the  other hand , the highest values of NUE were obtained from plants spaced at 20 or 30 cm combined with 70 , 115 , 160 or 205 Kg N / ha . In view of the obtained and discussed results, of the present study, it could be generally concluded that, increasing plant density by decreasing the spacing between plants (20 cm) combind with N fertilization  at 205 Kg / ha might be considered as an adequate and economical treatment combination for the production of high total and early yields of green fruits under the prevailing conditions of Al-Gabal Al-Akhdar   and other similar regions .

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