ABSTRACT
This experiment was conducted during the month of April 2021 - June 2021 at the Experimental farm of the department of crop science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State; to determine the response of okra to fertilizer application and plant spacing. The trial was laid out in a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement fitted in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) in three replicates with twelve treatments consisting of four fertilizer application, F1 (200kg ha- ¹), F2 (10t ha- ¹), F3 (5t ha- ¹ + 100kg ha- ¹) and F4 ( 7.5t ha- ¹ + 150kg ha- ¹) and three plant spacing S1 (40cm × 50cm), S2 (40cm × 60cm), and S3 (40cm × 70cm).
The result showed that fertilizer application and plant spacing had a significant effect on the vegetative and reproductive characters studied. S2F4 (fertilizer rate of 7.5t ha- ¹ + 150kg ha- ¹ and planting spacing of 40cm × 60cm) produced the higher plant height and number of flowers. S3F4 (fertilizer rate of 7.5t ha- ¹ + 150kg ha- ¹ and planting spacing of 40cm × 70cm) produced the higher stem diameter, number of pods and pod diameter. S2F4 (fertiliser rate of 7.5t ha- ¹ + 150kg ha- ¹ and planting spacing of 40cm × 60cm) and S3F4 (fertilizer rate of 7.5t ha- ¹ + 150kg ha- ¹ and planting spacing of 40cm × 70cm) produced the higher leaf area, number of leaves, pod length, fresh pod weight per plant, pod weight per plot and yield per hectare.
Therefore okra may be planted at a plant spacing of S2 (40cm × 60cm) or S3 (40cm ×70cm) and fertilizer rate of F4 (7.5t ha- ¹ + 150kg ha- ¹).
