Lady Finger Cultivation

Okra is a multipurpose crop valued for its tender and delicious pods. It is the most important vegetable crop of the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It belongs to the genus Abelmoschus and family Malvaceae.

  • North india

    1 June - 31 August
Lady finger
Lady finger

Plant Name- Okra

Scientific Name - Abelmoschus esculentus (L.)

Family- Malvaceae

Hindi Common Name- Bhindi (भिंडी)

Marathi Common Name- Bhendi( भेंडी).

Introduction-

  • Lady Finger or Okra is also known as ‘Bhindi’ and is an important vegetable crop in India.

  • It is grown in both tropical and sub-tropical regions and also in the warmer parts of the moderate regions.

  • 100g of edible okra’s nutritional value gives 1.9g protein, 0.2g fat, 6.4g carbohydrate, 0.7g minerals and 1.2g fibres.

  • As a foreign exchanger crop, Okra or Lady Finger has a good potential and it accounts for 65% of the export of fresh vegetables.

  • It is cultivated in the area of about 0.35mt/ha and its production is 3.5mt/ha and productivity of 9.6mt/ha.

Location:

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka are the major Lady Finger /Okra producing states in India.

Season:

  • It is grown in Kharif Season in the month of June-August

  • It also grows in Zaid season in the month of January – March.

Climate:

  • During the growing period, it requires long warm season.

  • In humid condition, it gives good yield.

  • It grows well within a temperature range of 22-35°c.

  • It grows the best in rainy season and in heavy rainfall areas.

  • It is highly receptive to frost injury.

  • Below 20°c seeds will fail to germinate.

Varieties: 

VARIETY

RELEASED BY

SPECIAL FEATURES

Pusa Makhmali

IARI

Produces light green fruits. Highly susceptible to Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus. (YVMV).

Punjab no.13

PAU

Suitable for cultivating in spring-summer season and fruits are light green and 5ridged and of medium length. Suspectible to mosaic.

Parbhani Kranti

MKV

Fruits are medium long with tender smooth surface at marketable stage. Average yield is 8.5-11.5 t/ha in 120 days.

Arka Anamika

IIHR

Fruits are borne in two flushes and they are borne on the first stem 45-50 days after sowing during second flush. Fruits are spineless with 5-6 ridges.

 

Lady finger Plant
Lady finger Plant

Soil Requirement:

  • It grows well in all kind of soils.

  • For its cultivation, Sandy loam and clay-loam soils are the best.

  • The optimum pH range is 6-6.8.

  • The soil should have good internal drainage.

  • Soil with high organic matter is preferred so that cartful of FYM or compost should be assimilated during land preparation.

Land Preparation:

  • 2-3 plowing is needed for well prepared land.

  • At the time of land preparation, well decomposed FYM 25t/ha is integrated into the soil.

  • It is sown on flat soil or on ridges.

  • Sowing should be done on ridges if the soil is heavy.

  • Neem cake and poultry manures helps in improving the growth of plant and the yield in this crop.

  • By using neem cake and poultry manures or other compost it is possible to reduce the use of fertilizer.

Seed Rate & Sowing Time:

  • During summer season, the seed rate is 5-5.5Kg seeds/ha.

  • During rainy season, the seed rate is 8-10Kg seeds/ha.

  • Seed rate normally depends on the germination percentage of spacing and season.

  • Seeds should be soaked in a solution of Bavistin (0.2%) for 6 hours before sowing them.

  • Then the seeds should be kept to dry in shade.

  • The seeds are dibbled on both the sides of the furrows at a spacing of 60 x 30cm in Kharif season and 30 x30cm in summer season.

Spacing:

  • In Okra, ridges and furrow type of arrangement is done.

  • At a spacing of 75 x 30 cm and 60 x 45 cm hybrid varieties are planted.

  • 3-4 days before sowing pre-soaking irrigation is very beneficial.

  • The seeds germinate in about 4-5 days.

Irrigation:

  • During summer, the crop requires appropriate moisture in the soil for faster growth.

  • Drip irrigation is most useful to the crop as it provides consistent moisture throughout the season.

  • The daily water demand of the crop is 2.4 liter for a day during the early growth stage.

  • During the peak growth stage it demands 7.6 liter per day.

  • During the initial growth stage irrigation should be done daily for 75 minutes and during peak growth stage it should be done for 228 minutes with a conductor capacity of 2lph.

Okra Plants
Okra Plants

Manures & Fertilizers:

  • In order to maximize the yield in the rows before sowing for one hectare of land about 30 t of FYM (Field Yard Manure), 350 kg Super phosphate, 125 kg Murate of Potash and 300 kg Ammonium sulphate should be applied.

  • Through fertigation, nitrogen should be applied in three split doses.

Harvesting:

  • Flowering starts from 35-40 days after planting.

  • Crop starts harvesting in 55-65 days after planting when pods are 2-3 inches long. Pods are tender at this stage.

  • It should be harvested after every 2-3 days as the Okra pods grow very fast.

  • The pods should not mature on the plant because this will hinder more pods from growing and will reduce the production of the plant.

  • Okra should be handled carefully because the pods blemish easily.

Yield:

The yield differs from 5-7 t/ha in summer and 8-10 t/ha in the rainy season.

Storage:

  • A fresh pod should be stored for 7-10 days in 7-10 degree temperature and 90-95% humidity.

  • If the temperature will be below 7 degree, it would lead to chilling injury which will lead to discoloration of surface, pitting and decay. 

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