Evaluation of Different Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) Cultivars for Yield and Biomass Production

In a field experiment conducted at Girija Prasad Koirala College of Agriculture and Research Center, Morang, Nepal, spanning from April to August 2022, the study aimed to assess the yield and biomass production of various okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) varieties, including Arka Anamika, Chandani, Chiranjeevi F1, F1 Glory, Gunjan, JK1666, OH-940, Punjab Selection, R35 Selection, and Swastik-2. Results unveiled significant variability among the varieties, with F1 Glory (0.91 Kg/m2) and Punjab Selection (0.96 Kg/m2) emerging as top performers in average yield per m2. Conversely, Arka Anamika, Gunjan, and JK1666 exhibited the lowest yields. Notably, Punjab Selection (4.17 Kg/m2), OH-940 (4.28 Kg/m2), and Swastik-2 (3.86 Kg/m2) showed the highest fresh biomass, while Gunjan had the lowest biomass. F1 Glory demonstrated the highest harvest index (1.14), followed by Chandani and Punjab Selection (both 0.88). These findings underscore the significant impact of varietal selection on okra productivity, highlighting the potential of Punjab Selection and F1 Glory for further exploration in vegetable cultivation and biomass production. The study underscores the importance of varietal selection in enhancing okra productivity and biomass production. Farmers should consider planting high-yielding varieties such as Punjab Selection and F1 Glory to maximize their yields and biomass. Additionally, further research is needed to explore optimal cultivation practices and management techniques tailored to these high-performing varieties. This study provides actionable recommendations for farmers to improve okra cultivation practices, ultimately enhancing agricultural productivity in Nepal and comparable agro-ecological conditions

Varietal trials and yield components determining variation among okra varieties (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

Yield analysis is necessary to test the overall performance of different okra varieties. For this, field experiments were performed during the summer season to assess the yield or production of different okra varieties under open field conditions. The experiment comprised four treatments with seven replicas in an RCBD. The treatments included four different varieties of okra: Arka Anamika, Chiranjeevi F1, Gunjan, and JK 1666. The experimental results showed that the average mean yield of four okra varieties was 98.30 gm per plant. Overall, it was further revealed that Arka Anamika gave the highest yield (101.01gm), followed by Gunjan (98.89gm), Chiranjeevi F1 (96.95gm), and JK1666 (96.37gm). Similarly, other parameters were also analyzed simultaneously to check yield attributing factors which unveiled that plant height was maximum (162.55 cm) in Chiranjeevi F1, followed by Gunjan, JK 1666, and Arka Anamika. Moreover, the number of primary branches was highest for Chiranjeevi F1 (4.47). Contrary to this, the number of pods per plant was also the most significant (3.80) in Arka Anamika. Further, Gunjan topped all the other three varieties in terms of pod diameter (5.53 cm) and weight of pod (25.12 gm). The pod length was highest in JK 1666 (14.83 cm). The data from the experiment also demonstrated that Arka Anamika matured faster (50 DAS) than the other three varieties, which showed Arka Anamika to be more economical for farmers; hence, from our field research, it can be inferred that Arka Anamika is a good variety for farmers growing okra in the Morang area