1. 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.

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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
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 cm

5. 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

6. 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

7. Sowing time, seed rate and spacing

8. 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.

9. 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
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 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 0.05%
Blister beetle
Beetles feed on vital parts of flowers resulting in poor fruit set.
Spray 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 triazophos or lambda
Root knot nematode
Yellowing of leaves patchy and unthrifty growth of plants , on roots galls are formed.
Apply -3 l/ha
Spider mite
Nymph and adults suck cell sap ultimately causing defoliation
Spray dicofol