Effect of Modulated Water Application on Shoot Size, Flower and Fruit Production in Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Moench)

Aim: To study the effect of modulated water application on size of above ground structures of Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Moench) and its productivity.

Objective: The objective is to find out which of the four options of modulated water application gave earliness to maturity, size and production for the plant.

Methodology: This work was carried out in a screen house of the department of Botany, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Seeds of Abelmoschus esculentus, of a local variety (Jokoson) were planted in plastic pots of 30 cm diameter, holding 17 kg of loam soil. The post received water by sprinkling to the tune of 3400 ml after considering the drainage upper limit (DUP) of the soil. The plants received NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer. Modulated water stress treatment was given. Each treatment has five replicate and performed in a complete randomized design (CRD). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) on collected data was performed using SPSS version 20.

Results: Morphological parameter like leaf area and plant height was observed under the options of the modulated water application treatment. Mean Leaf area of plants observed at weekly interval showed that treatments affected the growth pattern and anthesis. The result at 49 days after germination gave 1034.35 cm2, 805.26 cm2, 900.35 cm2 and 715.97 cm2, for T1, T2, T3, and T4 respectively and was significant at p≤0.05. Consequently, the mean number of flowers produced per plant at 49 DAG (Days After Germination) gave 6.00, 4.00, 4.00 and 4.00 for T1, T2, T3, and T4. Also the mean number of flowers which developed into fruits was obtained as 6.00, 4.00, 3.00 and 2.00 for T1, T2, T3, and T4. Correlations factor between the flower productions against fruit production was significant at p≤0.01 (2-tailed) for T3 and T4.

Conclusion: Regular water application at two-day interval throughout (T1) to the crop plant gave earliness, higher number of fruit and vegetative production than the interrupted water application at some developmental stage of the plant.