TITLE:
Integrated Nutrient Management for Sustainable Cultivation of Okro (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) and Its Effects on Growth, Yield, and Economic Analysis of Two Okro Varieties
AUTHORS:
Mamudu Daniel, Harrison Kwame Dapaah, Margret Esi Essilfie, Augustine Antwi-Boasiako
KEYWORDS:
Integrated Nutrient Management, Okro Fruits, Nutritional Quality, Economic Analysis
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.17 No.4,
April
30,
2026
ABSTRACT: Elevated soil fertility is essential for augmenting agricultural production and achieving substantial yields in okro. Field studies were performed during 2021 and 2022 cropping seasons to evaluate the yield, yield components and partial analysis of okro to different fertilizer combinations. The experiments were conducted at the multipurpose nursery research site at the College of Agricultural Education, AAMUSTED, Mampong-Ashanti, Ghana. The experimental design was a 2 × 6 factorial experiment arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four (4) replications. The treatments were made up of two factors: Factor (A): Two okro varieties [(i) Asontem and (ii) Clemson spineless] and Factor (B): Soil Amendments (i) 650 kg/ha NPK (full NPK), (ii) 20 t/ha Poultry Manure (full PM), (iii) 487.5 kg/ha NPK + 5 t/ha PM (3/4 NPK + 1/4 PM), (iv) 325 kg/ha NPK +10 t/ha PM (1/2 NPK + 1/2 PM), (v) 162.5 kg/ha NPK + 15 t/ha PM (1/4 NPK + 3/4 PM), and (vi) Control. The integrated application of NPK 15:15:15 and poultry manure at 325 kg/ha NPK + 10 t/ha PM, 162.5 kg/ha NPK + 15 t/ha PM and 487.5 kg/ha NPK + 5 t/ha PM generally increased plant height, number of leaves per plant, stem diameter, canopy spread, number of branches per plant, chlorophyll content and dry matter accumulation over sole applications and control (no fertilizer) application. Asontem variety had slightly higher growth parameters than Clemson spineless. The integrated combination of NPK 15:15:15 and poultry manure at 325 kg/ha NPK + 10 t/ha PM, 162.5 kg/ha NPK + 15 t/ha PM and 487.5 kg/ha NPK + 5 t/ha PM also showed an increased number of fruits per plant, fruit length and diameter as well as total fresh fruit yield. The partial budget analysis indicated that 162.5 kg/ha NPK + 15 t/ha PM had the highest net benefit and BCR under both varieties.