EVALUATING OKRA PERFORMANCE UNDER VARYING SPACING AND HARVEST REGIMES IN PORT HARCOURT

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons at the Rivers Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (RIART), Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, to assess the effects of plant spacing and harvest frequency on the growth and fruit yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L., var. NHE47-4). The study used a factorial design in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Treatments included three plant spacings (50 × 30 cm, 50 × 40 cm, and 50 × 50 cm) and three harvest intervals (daily, every 2 days, and every 3 days). Wider spacing (50 × 50 cm) enhanced vegetative traits and fruit size per plant, while closer spacing (50 × 30 cm) maximized yield per hectare. Harvesting every 3 days produced the largest but fibrous fruits, whereas a 2-day interval produced tender, marketable fruits. The best yield and quality were recorded with 50 × 40 cm spacing combined with a 2-day harvest interval (PS2H2), producing 20.51 t/ha and 21.34 t/ha in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The study concludes that optimal okra production requires balancing plant density with timely harvesting