Effect of planting time and planting configuration on phenology and yield of okra

Abstract

Abstract : An experiment was conducted at the Hill Agricultural Research Station, Khagrachari to evaluate the effect of planting time and planting configuration on phenology and yield of okra in slope of hilly land. Planting times were June, July, August and September. In each case seeds were sown in the first week of the month with planting configuration of 60 x 30 cm, 60 x 40 cm and 60 x 50 cm. Planting time and planting configuration did not interact significantly on days to first bud initiation and days to first flowering, but interacted significantly on days to edible maturity, days to first harvest, days to last harvest and fruit yield. Result showed that earlier planting induced early flower bud initiation and early flowering and late planting took the maximum time to open the flowers. Closer spacing favoured early flowering and early maturity while wider spacing significantly delayed days to last harvest. Among the planting times and planting configurations, July planting with 60x30 cm plant spacing contributed the highest yield (12.86 t ha'1) of okra in slope of hilly region of Bangladesh.