EFFECT OF SEAWEED EXTRACT AND BORON APPLICATION ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L.)

Abstract

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is an important vegetable crop valued for its nutritional and economic significance. Optimal nutrient management, including micronutrients and natural bio stimulants, plays a key role in enhancing growth and yield. Seaweed extracts and boron have been reported to improve plant physiological processes and yield components in various crops. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of foliar-applied seaweed extract and boron on the growth, yield, and related attributes of okra under field conditions in Peshawar, Pakistan. A field trial was conducted at the Horticulture Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, following a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The results indicated that the application of seaweed extract at a concentration of 40 mL L⁻¹ produced the maximum plant height (220.92 cm), highest number of pods per plant (39.26), longest pods (13.94 cm), widest pod diameter (16.73 mm), heaviest pods (13.69 g), highest fresh pod yield (23.61 t ha⁻¹), and the earliest flowering (41.08 days) and first pod harvest (46.25 days). Similarly, boron applied at 0.6% improved plant height (219.92 cm), pod number per plant (37.73), pod length (13.12 cm), enhanced pod diameter (15.42 mm), average pod weight (13.02 g), and fresh pod yield (22.11 t ha⁻¹), while shortening the period to first flowering (44.58 days) and initial harvesting (49.58 days). Overall, the results demonstrated that foliar application of seaweed extract at 40 mL L⁻¹ in combination with 0.6% boron significantly improved vegetative growth and yield attributes of okra. Therefore, this treatment is suggested as an effective practice for okra cultivation under the agro-climatic conditions of Peshawar.