This document provides information about Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), including its scientific name, family, English and Nepali names. It originates in tropical Africa or Asia and is widely grown in Nepal. Okra is used as a vegetable and in curries. The document discusses okra's climate and soil requirements, popular varieties, cultivation practices like land preparation, sowing, irrigation, harvesting, yield, and diseases and pests. It provides details on the introduction, uses, nutritional value, and cultivation of okra in Nepal.

1. Bijay Shrestha
Fruit Vegetable Crops
OKRA

2. Fruit Vegetable Crops
English Name Nepali Name Scientific Name Family
Tomato गोलभेडा Lycopersicon esculentum Solanaceae
Chilli पिरो खुर्ाानी Capsicum frutescens Solanaceae
Eggplant भान्टा Solanum melongena Solanaceae
Sweet Pepper भेडे खुर्ाानी Capsicum annum Solanaceae
Okra पभिंडी Abelmoschus esculentus Malvaceae

3. OKRA

4. INTRODUCTION
 Scientific Name- Abelmoschus esculentus
 Family- Malvaceae
 English Name- Okra, Lady’s finger
 Nepali Name- पभिंडी, रामतोररया
 Widely grown in tropical and subtropical region of Nepal
 Originated in tropical region ofAfrica orAsia
 High market demand during spring-summer season
 Grown commercially in terai and mid hills
 Okra can be used as trap crops for tomato cultivation to avoid aphids

5. Uses
 A hardy crop and a very good source of income for small and marginal
farmers
 Eaten as fresh vegetable when it is fairly young
 Used in various curry preparations and mostly eaten as a fried vegetable
 The energy and nutrition value of 100 g of consumable unripe fresh fruit
includes 10.4 g dry matter, 3,100 calorie energy, 1.8 g protein, 90 mg
calcium, 1.0 mg iron, 1.0 ml carotene, traces of thiamine, riboflavin and
niacin, and 18mg ofVitamin C
 It helps digestion, cuts hunger cravings, and keeps those who eat it fuller
for longer
 Recovery times and “fatigue levels” can be improved by use of the okra
plant
 Matured fruits and stem containing crude fiber are used in the paper
industry

6. Climate and Soil Requirement
 Climate:
A hot weather crop and thrives well in hot humid season
Susceptible to drought and low night temperatures, can not tolerate frost
Although a tropical region crop, it can also be grown in selected seasons
in warm temperate regions
Optimum temperature for plant development, flowering and fruiting is
25-30°C
Temperature above 42°C makes leaf fall off the plant
 Soil:
Can be grown in a wide range of soils (sandy to clay)
Due to its tap root system, well-drained deep loam soil rich in organic
matter with high water holding capacity is best
Soil with pH 6.0 to 7.5 allows for maximum nutrient uptake through roots,
leading to higher yield

7. Variety
 Nepalese farmers mostly cultivate locally available varieties of okra.
 Following two varieties have been released by government
1. Parvati
 Open pollinated variety. High yielding early variety
 Fruits are medium green and fleshy in nature
 Resistant toYellowVein Mosaic virus.
 Harvesting can be done in 50-60DAS
 Recommended forTerai, mid hill and high hills
 Yield- 12-16ton/ha
 Its old name- Parwani Kranti

8. Variety
2. Arka Anamika
 Open pollinated variety. High yielding early variety
 Fruits are medium green and has 5 ridge in fruit
 Resistant toYellowVein Mosaic virus.
 Harvesting can be done in 55DAS
 Recommended forTerai, mid hill and high hills
 Yield- 11.5 ton/ha

9. Land preparation and Manure Application
 Land Preparation:
3-4 deep ploughing along with clearing the weeds and crop debris
Soil should be well pulverized and well levelled
FYM is added in 3rd ploughing and chemical fertilizers are added in 4th /last
ploughing
 Manure Application:
1000 kg per ropani of well decomposed FYM or compost manure
To supplement the FYM, apply 8 kg of urea, 6kg of phosphorus and 3 kg of
potash per ropani.
Apply all manure and fertilizer except half dose of urea at time of field
preparation.
Apply the remaining half dose of nitrogen as top dressing after a month and
2 months after sowing

10. Seed rate and Sowing
 Seed rate depends upon the growing season
 In winter about 1 kg of seed is required for one ropani
 In rainy season, only 500g of seed is enough for one ropani
 Before sowing, it is better to soak the seed in water for 24hours and
dried prior to sowing
 In winter growing, two seeds are sown at a spacing of 50cm R-R and
30cm P-P at a depth of 2-3cm
 In rainy season, ridge of 120cm is made. Distance between two ridges is
30cm and depth of furrow should be 15cm.
 Seeds are sown in two rows in ridge at a spacing of 60cm R-R and 30cm
P-P.

11. Sowing and Fruit picking time
 Sowing and fruit picking times differ according to the geographical
location and season
 Okra is sown directly as transplanting brings little success
 In high hills, seeds are sown in Baisakh-Jestha and harvested in Asar-
Shrawan.
 In mid hills, seeds are sown in Falgun-Asar and harvested in Jestha-Asoj.
 In terai, seeds are sown in Magh-Asar and harvested in Baisakh-Asoj.

12. Irrigation and Mulching
 Soil moisture content should be examined before the sowing. If there is
any moisture deficit prior to sowing, irrigation is recommended for
improved germination.
 During summer time, irrigation should be done at every 4-7 days
interval.
 But during rainy season, care should be given for the drainage rather
than irrigation.
 Mulching is preferable during summer season to avoid excessive
moisture loss
 Mulching can be done with the help of saw
dust, straw, tree leaves, or polythene etc.

13. Weeding
 Okra germinates little slow that’s why it is necessary to remove any
weeds or unwanted plants in field that emerges after 5-20 days of sowing
 Second weeding is done after a month of sowing at the time of adding
fertilizers
 Third weeding is also done at the time of fertilizer application which is 2
months after sowing
 Once the plant is well established, weed doesn’t become any problem.
 After weeding it is best practice to earthing up the soil

14. Harvesting and Yield
 Okra can be harvested after 50-60days after sowing
 The fruits can be of different length varying from 5 to 20cm long
 The tender fruit of length 7-10 cm are considered to be ideal quality
 The quality of fruit declines as the harvesting is delayed
 Harvesting can be done after every 2-3 days
 It is considered to be ideal to harvest the fruit after 5-7 days of flowering
 Average yield of okra from one ropani is 500-1000kg depending upon
growing season and variety grown

15. D/s and pests of Okra:
 The major insects that attack okra fruit are shoot borer and leaf hopper.
 Among diseases, powdery mildew and yellow vein mosaic are the
important ones.
Write about symptom and control of given d/s and pests.
Submit Next Sunday

16. Thank You