Response of Summer Okra (cv. PHULE UTKARSHA) to Iron, Zinc and Boron in Inceptisol

A field experiment was conducted to study the response of summer okra (cv. Phule Utkarsha) to iron, zinc and boron in Inceptisol at Regional Fruit Research Station, Ganeshkhind, Pune (M.S.) during 2007-08. The objective of experiment was to study the effect of iron, zinc and boron on growth, yield, quality, nutrient uptake of okra and soil properties after harvest of okra. There were twelve treatments viz., water spray, foliar spray FeSO4 (0.5 %), foliar spray ZnSO4 (0.5 %), foliar spray boric acid (0.2 %), foliar spray FeSO4+ ZnSO4 (0.5 % each), foliar spray FeSO4 (0.5 %) + boric acid (0.2 %), foliar spray ZnSO4 (0.5 %) + boric acid (0.2 %), foliar spray FeSO4 + ZnSO4 (0.5 % each) + boric acid (0.2%), soil application of FeSO4@ 20 kg ha-1, soil application of ZnSO4@ 20 kg ha-1, soil application of FeSO4+ ZnSO4@ 20 kg ha-1 each and soil application of FeSO4 + ZnSO4@ 20 kg ha-1 each + borax @ 5 kg ha-1. The experiment was laid in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The foliar sprays of micronutrients were done at 30 days and 45 days after sowing of okra. The soil application of micronutrients were done at the time of sowing. The results of experiment indicated that the soil application of FeSO4+ ZnSO4@ 20 kg ha-1each + borax @ 5 kg ha-1 registered significantly higher plant height (155.64cm), higher number of nodes per plant (24.96), higher number of days to 50 % flowering (43.67). The higher average fruit diameter (1.60 cm), higher fruit length (11.30 cm) and average fruit weight (11.67 g) were found in T11. The micronutrient application to okra helped to improve yield parameters. The soil application of FeSO4+ ZnSO4@ 20 kg ha-1 each + borax @ 5 kg ha-1 yielded significantly higher yield (205.8 q ha-1) and was at par with foliar spray FeSO4 + ZnSO4 (0.5 % each) + boric acid (0.2%) (196.4 q ha-1), soil application of FeSO4 + ZnSO4@ 20 kg ha-1 each (191.2 q ha-1) and foliar spray FeSO4 + ZnSO4 (0.5 % each) (191.2 q ha-1). In general the combined application of FeSO4+ ZnSO4@ 20 kg ha-1 each + borax@ 5 kg ha-1 as soil application and foliar sprays of FeSO4 (0.5 %) + ZnSO4 (0.5 %) + boric acid (0.2%), both treatments were found significantly effective in increasing the yield of okra and maintained soil properties. The uptake of nitrogen was significantly higher due to soil application of FeSO4 + ZnSO4 + borax (48.03 kg ha-1) and at par with foliar spray FeSO4 + ZnSO4+ boric acid (45.84 kg ha-1) and soil application of FeSO4+ ZnSO4@ 20 kg ha-1each (45.61 kg ha-1). The similar treatment showed significantly higher uptake of phosphorus and potassium. The application of FeSO4, ZnSO4 and borax either alone or in combination helped to increase the uptake of iron, zinc, boron, manganese and copper by okra.