CAPSULE YIELD OF OKRA (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) AS AFFECTED BY PLANT SPACING AND NUMBER OF PLANTS PER STAND

ABSTRACT

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.), from the Malvaceae family, is also called Lady’s finger.  It is an annual shrub cultivated for human consumption. Proper plant spacing can maximize yield. Number of plants per stand is an important cultural practice that determines capsule yield. The study was carried out to evaluate the influence of different plant spacings on okra capsule yield and to assess the  effects of varying number of plants per stand on capsule yield of okra. The experiment was carried out in the Faculty of Agriculture Teaching and Research Farm, University of Benin,Benin City, Nigeria, laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) which was replicated four(4) times. Treatments were 40 by 30cm with one plant per stand, 40 by 30cm with two plants per stand, 40 by 30cm with three plants per stand, 50 by 30cm with one plant per stand,  50 by 30cm with two plants per stand and 50 by 30cm with three plants per stand. The variables studied in the experiment were days to 50% flowering, number of capsules per plant and  capsule yield per plant. The study showed that days to 50% flowering was not influenced by plant spacing and number of plants per stand, capsule yield per plant was highest in plots having one plant per stand and lowest in plots having three plants per stand. Plant spacing and number of plants per stand influences number of capsules and capsule yield of okra. The study also revealed that number of plants per stand may be more important than plant spacing in their influence on capsule yield of okra.