Okra Arka Anamika (F1 Hybrid) – ICAR IIHR

Description

• Arka Nikita:It is F1 hybrid, early flowering produces dark green, medium smooth, and tender fruits, excellent cooking quality.
• Soil and climate: It is grown on sandy to clay soils but due to its well-developed tap root system, relatively light, well –drained, rich soils are ideal. The best germination and crop growth takes place between 240C -300C and as such crop performs well under a long, warm and humid growing period.
• Season: Southern plains: June-July, September-October, and February-March. Northern and Western plains: July-August, February-March, Eastern plains: May-June, February-March, Hilly Areas:April- June.
• Seed rate: 8-10 kg/hectare. Higher seed rate could be used If the crop is to start early in spring summer as it augmented germination loss due to temperature. Higher seed rate and lower spacing could also be opted for summer crop to lower the field temperature and keep fruiting going on under frequent light irrigation.
• Spacing: For monsoon season crop a plant spacing of 60 cm x 30 cm, accommodating 55,000 plants /ha is recommended for branching and robust types, while 45 cm x 30 cm accommodating 75,000 plants /ha is for non-branching types. During spring –summer season with less plant growth these spacing are kept at 45 cm x 20 cm.
• Manures and Fertilizers: Good quality FYM or Compost to be added @ 25 tonnes per ha and 100 kg nitrogen, 50 kg each of phosphorus and potash per ha are recommended.
• Pest and disease management:
  Aphids: Spray a systemic insecticide like dimethoate 30 EC (2 ml/l) acetamiprid (0.2 gm/l).
  Mites: Sprays dicofol 18.5 EC @ 2.5ml or any other acaricide like wettable sulphur 50 WP @ 3g/l.
  Powdery mildew and Cercospora leaf spot : Spray neem soap/pongamia soap 1%. Foliar application of Wettable sulphur (0.3%) or Tridemorph (0.1%) or Hexaconazole (0.075%) or Dinocap (0.1%) or Flusilazole (0.03 %) or Myclobutanil (0.1%) or Carbendazim (0.1%) at 10 -15 day intervals.
  Fusarium wilt: Drenching with Carbendazim(0.2%).
  Alternaria blight: Foliar application of Mancozeb (0.25%) or Chlorothalonil(0.25%).
  Yellow vein mosaic virus: Foliar application of Acephate (0.15%) followed by spraying of Imidacloprid (0.03%) at 15 days interval.
• Harvesting and yield: The crop is ready for first picking 50-55 after sowing. Harvesting the tender fruits in 2-3 days interval depending upon the season. The average yield is 15-20 t/h