GROWTH AND YIELD OF OKRA AS INFLUENCED BY PLANTING DATES

Abstract

The influence of four sowing dates (May 15th, June 15th, July 15th and August 15th, 1998) on the growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) (cv. Santa Cruz 47) was studied in Goiânia-GO. The experiment was conducted at the 'Escola de Agronomia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Goiás', on an oxisol which had been cropped for several years. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications. Significant differences (Tukey 5%) were found among sowing dates for the following traits: number of pods yielded during the first thirty harvests (105 days), plant height at the beginning of harvest, number of lateral branches, number of days from the sowing to the beginning of flowering, number of days from the sowing to the harvest of the first pod and number of days from the sowing to the beginning of harvest on 75% of the hills. The average temperature of the months following the sowing dates increased from May to August. The period from the sowing to the beginning of flowering, the beginning of harvest and the beginning of harvest on 75% of the hills was shortened and the number of lateral branches decreased from May to August. At the same time, the plant height and the yield of the first thirty harvests increased.

KEY-WORDS: Abelmoschus esculentus; planting date; development yield.