International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.4, 195-200 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 195 Research Report Open Access Effect of Different Nutrient Media on Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.Moench) Production in Kailali, Nepal Tara Chandra Joshi , Namrata Acharya, Hari Prasad Ghimire, Rejina Sapkota, Suwas Dahal Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, 44209, Nepal Corresponding email: tarajoshi669@gmail.com International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.4 doi: 10.5376/ijh.2025.15.0020 Received: 24 Feb., 2025 Accepted: 05 Jul., 2025 Published: 15 Aug., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Joshi et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Joshi T.C., Acharya N., Ghimire H.P., Sapkota R., and Dahal S., 2025, Effect of different nutrient media on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) production in Kailali, Nepal, International Journal of Horticulture, 15(4): 195-200 (doi: 10.5376/ijh.2025.15.0020) Abstract An experiment was conducted in Kailali district, Nepal, to evaluate the effect of different nutrient media on the production of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). The study employed a single-factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with eight treatments replicated three times. The treatments included farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, poultry manure, synthetic fertilizer (NPK), 50% NPK + 50% FYM, 50% NPK + 50% vermicompost, 50% NPK + 50% poultry manure, and a no-fertilizer control. The okra variety Arka Anamika was used, and data were collected on growth and yield parameters such as plant height, number of leaves and branches per plant, fruit count per plant, fruit length and diameter, and total yield (ton/ha). Measurements were taken from ten randomly selected plants from the central rows of each plot, and data were analyzed using R software. Results indicated that poultry manure led to the highest yield at 21.18 ton/ha and significantly improved growth characteristics such as plant height and leaf number while control being the lowest 9.95 ton/ha. Conversely, the control and synthetic fertilizer treatments showed the poorest performance. The findings suggest that poultry manure is an effective nutrient source for enhancing okra growth and yield. Keywords Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Monech); Organic fertilizer; Poultry manure; Kailali Nepal; Yield Performance 1 Introduction Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Monech) is a widely cultivated vegetable in tropical and subtropical regions, grown for its pods (Sylvester et al., 2014). It belongs to the hibiscus family, Malvaceae, and exhibits the characteristic floral features of this family. In Nepal, the average yield of okra is 11.54 metric tons per hectare, with a total production of 110,565 metric tons over an area of 9,584 hectares (MoALD, 2022). It constitutes 3.32% of Nepal's total vegetable cultivation area (MoALD, 2022). India is the leading producer of okra, contributing over 72% to the global output (FAOSTAT, 2020). According to FAOSTAT, (2020) India produced 6.35 million tonnes of okra from 0.52 million hectares of land. Vegetable crops, including those in vegetable-based cropping systems, respond well to nutrient supplementation from organic manures and chemical fertilizers (Kale et al., 1991). Over time, soil nutrient levels decline as crops are harvested, and these nutrients must be replenished either through natural decomposition or fertilizer application. Fertilization is therefore a crucial aspect of modern agriculture. Fertilizers supply essential nutrients categorized as macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur) and micronutrients. Fertilizers have become indispensable to modern agriculture, helping to feed the growing global population. While chemical fertilizers have greatly benefited humanity by alleviating hunger and saving lives, their exclusive use can pose risks to human health and the environment (Arisha and Bradisi, 1999). While mineral fertilizers assure rapid and short-term growth and yield improvement but It doesn’t ensure the sustainability of agricultural production (Bhandari et al., 2019). In recent years, the use of organic manures such as farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure, vermicompost, and goat manure has gained importance because of its significance. Organic manures improve soil texture and water retention (Kale et al., 1991) and provide food for soil microorganisms, which enhances microbial activity and aids in converting unavailable nutrients into plant-available forms. Additionally, organic manures help maintain yields
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