Vol. 11, Issue 11 (2022)

Crop growth and yield are the results of genotypic expression, which can be modulated by continuous interaction with the environment and other factors. Among them, bio-stimulants and micronutrients are most important factors, which help in efficient use of available soil nutrients and foliar application is considered to be the best method due to quick response and low application rate. This field study was aimed to examine the effect of foliar application of organic bio-stimulants and micronutrients on performance of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L). Moench.) Cv. Arka Nikitha conducted at College of Horticulture, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India during summer-2021. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with eight treatments and three replications. The results showed that foliar application of 0.2 percent vegetable special at 20, 40 and 60 days after sowing along with soil application of RDF (125:75:63 kg N, P₂O₅, K₂O ha^-1 + 25 t FYM ha^-1) recorded significantly maximum plant height with more number of branches and leaves per plant at 30 days after sowing (44.94 cm, 3.20 and 13.08, respectively) followed by plants sprayed with 0.2 percent humic acid at 20, 40 and 60 days after sowing and supplied with soil application of RDF while, they were least in plants which received soil application of RDF alone (38.64 cm, 2.20 and 7.80, respectively) and the same trend was continued till 70 days after sowing. The same treatment combination produced significantly maximum stem diameter (19.30 mm), length of petiole (16.02 cm), length of internodes (4.87 cm), number of nodes per plant (28.14), number of pods per plant (23.86), pod length (14.53 cm), pod diameter (1.77 cm), pod yield per plant (484.78 g), pod yield per plot (16.97 kg) and total pod yield per hectare (23.70 t) besides, took significantly minimum days for 50 percent flowering (59.87). The okra plants which received the same treatment combination were quite high in total N (1.77%), P (0.86%) and K (1.20%) contents in the index tissues with efficient utilization of soil nutrients without affecting pH, EC and organic matter status of soil. The highest net monetary returns (Rs. 1,71,720 ha^-1) and B : C ratio (2.63) were realized from the same treatment combination.