ABSTRACT

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of rates of application of Nitrogen fertilizer and intra-row spacings on the yield of okra in an ultisol in Umudike in 2008 cropping season. The experiment was a 4 x 3 factorial arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments were four levels of nitrogen (N) fertilizer (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg N/ha) and three intra-row spacings (I) (30 cm, 45 cm and 60 cm). Results showed that plant height and number of branches per plant were not affected by intra-row spacing. Leaf production was higher in plots spaced 45 cm and 60 cm than 30 cm spaced plots. Shorter plants were obtained in non N applied plots than those that received N fertilizer. The interaction of intra-row spacing and N fertilizer did not significantly affect okra growth attributes. 100 seed weight was heaviest in 30 cm spaced plots that received 60 kg N/ha while the lightest was obtained in 30 cm spaced plots that received no N fertilizer. Intra-row spacing did not affect fresh pod number from mainshoot, branches and total number pods. Pod number was higher in the main shoot of fertilizer applied plots than the no N fertilizer plots. Fruit production was the same among plots that received N fertilizer. Pod weight from main shoot and branches were not affected by intra-row spacing. However, N fertilizer increased pod weight from the main shoot but did not from the branches. Pod weight was higher in N applied plot than non N applied plot. Higher pod yield was obtained from 45 cm spaced plot that received 60 kg N/ha. The result suggests that a narrow row spacing of 45 cm with 30 kg N/ha should be recommended for increased and sustainable okra production on an ultisol. Intra-row spacing had similar effect on pod length, pod diameter and 100 seed weight. In the same manner, nitrogen fertilizer rates had similar effects on pod length, pod diameter and 100 seed weight. The interaction between inter-row spacing and nitrogen fertilizer rates did not significantly affect pod length, pod diameter and 100 seed weight.