Effect of Organic Waste Fertilizers on Growth and Development of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)

Abstract

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is an important vegetable crop grown with high demand and economic value. Thus, to improve the growth and development of okra, organic fertilizer can minimize inorganic fertilizer usage. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse for 6 weeks to compare the growth rate of okra between a combination of organic waste fertilizers and NPK fertilizer and to determine the most suitable organic waste fertilizer combination with NPK fertilizer for the growth and development of okra. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 4 replications consisting of 5 treatments, where T0: no fertilizer, T1: NPK 12:12:17:2 (20 g), T2: NPK 12:12:17:2 (10 g) + vermicompost (25 g), T3: NPK 12:12:17:2 (10 g) + biochar (25 g), T4: NPK 12:12:17:2 (10 g) + chicken manure (25 g), respectively. Parameters assessed were plant height, number of leaves, chlorophyll content, number of fruits, fresh and dry weight, and soil pH. Results indicated that the growth and development of okra were significantly the lowest in T0 and T1 while the highest in T4. Okra in T4 showed the best performance by achieving the highest value for all parameters assessed after 6 weeks of planting. It can be deduced that NPK 12:12:17:2 (10 g) + chicken manure (25 g) might be the most suitable fertilizer combination to promote the higher growth of okra while reducing the dependency on inorganic compound fertilizers.