WATER REQUIREMENTS

A pre-sowing watering should be given if there is insufficient soil moisture. There should be enough soil moisture at the time of sowing to help in proper germination. The crop should be irrigated after germination when the first true leaves initiate for the summer crop and when the leaf expands for the rainy season crop. Subsequent irrigations can be given at 4–5 days' interval for the summer crop and whenever required for the rainy season crop.

At high temperatures of about 40 oC, frequent light irrigations should be given for proper fruiting. The soil should be kept in a moist condition, but water logging should be avoided to prevent wilting of the plants. It is not a common practice to use drip irrigation commercially for okra though it saves 85% of the water used. Irrigation through furrows is commonly practised. Moisture stress during flowering and fruit set causes about 70% crop loss.

Training and pruning

Normally, okra does not require training or pruning, since the plants are erect and grow upright. It does not require staking either. But in crops sown during the summer, pruning the plants at about 20–25 cm from ground level after rains, when harvesting is over, has been tried in recent years. Varieties like Arka Abhay and Pusa A4 give quick branching after pruning.

Updated on : Dec 2014