Growth and Yield Response of Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus (L.) Moench) Varieties to Weed Interference in South-Eastern Nigeria
Field Studies were conducted at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria to determine the influence of weed interference on the growth and yield of three okra (Abelmochus Keywords : Okra varieties, South-eastern Nigeria, weed interference, weed control efficiency, fruit yield. GJSFR-D Classification : FOR Code: 070308 Growth and Yield Response of Okra Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench Varieties to Weed Interference in South-Eastern Nigeria Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of : esculentus (L) Moench) varieties. Three varieties of okra (NHAe47-4, Lady’s finger and V35) were weeded using five weeding regimes (weedy check, unweeded till 5 weeks after sowing (WAS), weeding once each at 3 WAS and 4 WAS and weed free). The treatment combinations were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Plant height for okra varieties was in the decreasing order of Lady’s finger < NHAe47-4 V35> lady’s finger in both years. More flowers/plant were obtained from NHAe47-4 while the least number of flowers aborted were obtained from the Lady’s finger. Among the weeded plots, NHAe47-4 produced the highest fresh fruit yield (23.63t ha-1 in 2007 and 22.96t ha-1 in 2008) which were not insignificantly different from the yields obtained from weed free plots that produced 24.20t ha-1 in 2007 and 22.13t ha-1 in 2008.
