OKRA Botanical Name: Abelmoschus esculentus Moench Chromosome No.: 130 Centre of Origin: South East Asia (India ) It is an important vegetable crop in the tropics and sub- tropics. In India okra is one of the major summer and rainy season vegetable, grown for its tender green fruits cooked in curry, used in soups and used in soups and used for canning and freezing. It is rich in vitamins, Ca, K , iodine and other minerals . It offers a good scope for processing industry. The root and stems are used for clarification of sugarcane juice before it is converted into jaggery / brown sugar. Okra also plays major role in paper industry. It has tremendous export potential as fresh vegetable.

Area and production Area Production India 507 ‘000ha 5853 ‘000tonne Himachal Pradesh 2838 ha 35,847 M.T. India ranks first in the world in okra production

Varieties recommended in India CSKHPKV Palam Komal Resistant to YVM IARI, Delhi Pusa Sawani IC 1542 X Pusa Makhmali The cultivar when released was tolerant to YMV but now the tolerance has broken down Pusa A-4, Pusa Bhindi-5 Pusa Makhmali Highly susceptible to YMV Red bhindi Fruits are red IIHR , Bangalore IHR 20-30 Arka Abhay Interspecific hybrids resistant to YMV Arka Anamika Sister line of Arka abhay IIVR, Varanasi Shitla Uphar, Shital Jyoti, Kashi Mohini, Kashi Vibhuti, Kashi Pragati, Kashi Satdhari, Kashi Lila, Kashi Kranti, Kashi Bhairav , Kashi Vardan , Kashi Kushhaal Kashi Vardaan PAU, Ludhiana Punjab Padmani esculentus X A. manihot ssp. manihot Tolerant to YVM P 7, P 8 YMV tolerant Varsha Uphar Indo –America Hybrid seeds Varsha , VIjaya , Vishal

Climate and soil- Okra seeds do not germinate below 20 °C . Okra is highly susceptible to frost. Okra thrives well on all kinds of soil but it grows best in well manured soil. It is slightly tolerant to acidity .b the optimum pH range is 6-6.8 Sowing time Indo Gangetic plains – Spring -summer crop :February- March Autumn winter : July- September Eastern India – January - February Western and southern India - November to March and crop is over by February Hilly regions : April June Most parts of India rainy crop : June –July Spacing Season Seed rate spacing Spring summer crop 15-20 kg/ha 30-45 cm X 15 cm Rainy season crop 10-12 kg/ha 60cm X 20-30 cm

Manures and fertilizers- Whole amount of FYM, P,K and half N as basal dose , and rest N after one month of planting Irrigation –Moisture stress in both flowering and pod filling stage result in reduction of more than 70% in fruit yield. Crop should be irrigated every 5th or 6th day in summer. Weed control – proper weeding is required specially during rainy season. Three to fore hoeings are required first hoeing is done when seedlings are two weeks old and subsequent hoeings are done at fortnightly interval. Pre- emergence weedicides like pendimethalin are effective in weed control. Harvesting – okra fruits are continuously harvested every second or third day from first picking. The best time of picking is 6-7 days after flowering. Average yield is 70 quintals per hectare. FYM N P2O5 and K2O 8 tonnes 45 kg 22 kg each

Varieties recommended for H.P. Institute variety CSK HPKV Palampur Palam Komal IARI, Delhi Pusa Sawani ( for spring summer season only ) PAU, Ludhiana P 8, P 7 Palam Komal P-8

Sowing time, seed rate and spacing

Manures and fertilizers Manure/fertilizer Quantity FYM 10 tonnes/ha N : P: K 75 : 55 : 55 kg/ha CAN 300 kg/ha SSP 315 kg/ha MOP 90 kg/ha Apply all FYM , superphosphate, muriate of potash and half N at the time of field preparation and the remaining dose of N in two equal splits at one month interval after sowing.

Diseases and insect pest Disease / pest Symptom / cause management Yellow vein mosaic Vein clearing which ultimately turn to veinal chlorosis and whole leaf turns yellow. Grow resistant variety Rogue out diseased plants Remove collateral host use yellow sticky traps for monitoring adult population of white fly for early prediction and timely application of insecticide Spray triazophos or lambda cyhalothrin @0.04% Use disease free seed Damping off Results in pre and post emergence seedling death Seed treatment with 3g captan or thiram per kg of seed Powdery mildew Powdery coating is seen on surface of affected leaves which turn yellow and drop Application of wettable sulphur @ 0.2% Fruit borer Caterpillars bore into shoots of the plants where the buds appear. Later the enter the fruits and start damaging them. Early infestation results in drooping of shoots and plant gradually dies . Spray malathion @ 0.05% Blister beetle Beetles feed on vital parts of flowers resulting in poor fruit set. Spray carbaryl @ 0.1% Jassids and white flies They suck sap of the leaves . The leaves curl upward along the tips and margins , turn yellow and finally dry up. Spray malathion @ 0.05% Spray imidacloprid @0.05%Spray triazophos or lambda cyhalothrin @0.04% Root knot nematode Yellowing of leaves patchy and unthrifty growth of plants , on roots galls are formed. Apply nemagon @2 -3 l/ha Spider mite Nymph and adults suck cell sap ultimately causing defoliation Spray dicofol