EFFECT OF SELECTED LIQUID FERTILIZER ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF OKRA (ABELMOSCUHUS ESCULENTUS L. MONECH) IN MAKURDI SOUTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA ZONE OF NIGERIA

Ali. A, Ohemu A. I, Egbe E. A

DOI: 10.26480/bda.02.2025.112.116

ABSTRACT
A field experiment was conducted during the 2023 cropping season to evaluate the effect of selected liquid fertilizer on the growth and yield of Okra. The treatment was 100 ml/ha in 4 liters of water (control), 100 ml/ha in 4 liters of water of ferti-plus, 100 ml/ha in 4 liters of water of Gron-Tech, 100 ml/ha in 4 liters of water of Boost Extra and 10grams N.P.K 20:10:10. The treatments were laid in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated three times. Crop data collected was, plant height, leaf aera, number of leaves, pod length, pod weight, these treatments were subjected to statistical analysis and the parameter which indicated statistical difference were separated using Fishers-least significant difference (F-LSD). The result of the study indicated that liquid fertilizer treatments does not affect the soil physical and chemical properties and this is evidences from the % of sand, silt and clay obtained from the soil analysis. The organic carbon and organic matter content were not affected by the fertilizer treatments. The result of the statistical analysis indicates that plant height, number of leaves, pod length was significantly improved by the treatments. The highest fruit weight was obtained from the 0 kg/ha (control) of liquid fertilizer treatments with the value of 69.0 kg and the lowest was obtained from Boost Extra (43.0 kg) and there were no significant differences among the treatments. And also, the highest weight of pod was obtained from Grown-Tec with the value of (67.0 kg) and the lowest was obtained from the Boost Extra (43.0kg) its therefor recommended that Grown-Tec should be adopted among the selected liquid fertilizer for optimum rate of Okra growth and sustainable production in Makurdi.

KEYWORDS
Okra, liquid fertilizer, Gron-Tech, Boost Extra, Ferti-plus, NPK 20:10:10, growth, yield, RCBD, plant height