EFFECT OF BIOCHAR AND VERMICOMPOST AND NPK FERTILIZERS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF OKRA (Abelmoschus esculentus)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in Sahebjot under Tetulia upazila in Panchagarh district over the period of July to December 2023. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with seven treatments and three replications. Seven treatments were used were T1- control (NPK fertilizer), T2 - 100% (10 tha-1) biochar, T3- 100% (2.5 tha-1) vermicompost, T4- 50 % biochar + 1/3 vermicompost + 50% NPK of RDF, T5 - 30% biochar + 2/3 vermicompost + 50% NPK of RDF, T 6 - 50% vermicompost + 1/3 biochar + 50 % NPK of RDF, T7- 30 % vermicompost + 2/3 biochar + 50 % NPK of RDF. The tallest plant height at 30, 40 and 50 DAS was obtained (45.67, 59.47 and 72.33 cm respectively) from T6, whereas the shortest plant height (25, 36.13, 46.83 cm respectively) was obtained from T1. The maximum number of leaves at 30, 40 and 50 DAS were recorded (11.63, 13.83 and 30 respectively) from T6 and the minimum number of leaves (4.17, 6.33 and 9.33 respectively) were obtained from T1. The highest number of flowers plant-¹ (9.67, 8.68, 8.17 and 8.67 was obtained from T6 whereas the minimum (2.00, 2.33, 3.17 and 2.50) was obtained from T1 treatments. The highest number of fruits per plant (5.07, 5.00, 4.80, 5. 5.40 and 5.20) was obtained from treatment T6 and lowest (0.87, 1.07, 0.93, 1.33, 1.73 and 1.20) were recorded from the treatment T1. The longest pod (17.33, 17.00, 17.83 and 16.67) was recorded in T6, treatment while the control treatment (T1) produced the shortest pod length (5.90, 5.68, 5.67 and 5.12 cm). The maximum individual fruit weight was found at T6 treatments (22.68, 22.33 and 26.13 at 40, 50 and 60, DAS respectively. The minimum individual fruit weight was found in treatment T1 (4.47, 4.93 and 6.33 at 40, 50 and 60, DAS respectively). The maximum yield plot-1 was found at T6 treatments (1803.3g, 2121.7g and 1916.7g at 40, 50 and 60 DAS respectively. The minimum yield plot-1 was found in treatment T1 (408.3 g, 513.3 g and 526.7 g at 40, 50 and 60 DAS respectively). The maximum pot diameter (7.27, 7.30, 7.23, 6.93 cm respectively) was recorded in T6 treatment while control treatment (T1) produced the smallest pod diameter (4.50, 4.83, 5.83 and 4.67 cm respectively). The longest root length was recorded 17.83 cm at Treatment T6, while the control treatment (T1) produced the shortest root length (8.33 cm). The result showed that the application of 50% Vermicompost + 1/3 Biochar + 50 % NPK of RDF fertilizers produced the highest plant height, number of leaves, fruit length, number of fruits and fruit weight etc. Therefore, the treatment T6 was suggested for the better growth and yield of okra cultivation.