000			05510nam a22001697a 4500
999			_c157892 _d157892
082			_a630 _bSET/OR
100			_aSethulakshmi V S
245			_aOrganic preparations and biostimulants for moisture stress mitigation in container grown okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)
260			_aVellanikkara _bDepartment of Agronomy, College of Agriculture _c2017
300			_a121p
502			_aMSc
520	3		_aThe study entitled “Organic preparations and biostimulants for moisture stress mitigation in container grown okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)” was conducted at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram during 2016 to 2017. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of organic preparations and biostimulants on inducing moisture stress tolerance and to assess their impact on growth, yield and irrigation requirement of okra in urban homesteads. The field experiment was laid out at the Instructional Farm during July to October 2016 as Completely Randomised Design with nine treatments replicated thrice. Uniform sized plastic sacks were selected as containers and they were housed in a rain shelter. The treatments comprised of application of organic preparations and biostimulants, which included T1- spraying of fermented cow dung water mixture (10 per cent), T2- spraying of citric acid (0.2 per cent), T3- spraying of sorghum water extract (5 per cent), T4- spraying of humic acid (1 per cent), T5- spraying of yeast extract (2 per cent), T6- spraying of moringa leaf extract (3 per cent), T7- spraying of salicylic acid (100 ppm), T8- spraying of water and T9- no stress treatment (daily irrigation to field capacity and no spraying). For T1 to T8, irrigation was withheld after 20 days of planting and resumed only when plant showed temporary wilting symptoms. Spraying as per treatment was given to the plants at 20, 40, 60 and 80 DAP (Days After Planting). Results of the study indicated that among the organic preparations and biostimulants, moringa leaf extract spraying (T6) resulted in significantly higher plant height (72.33 cm) at 3 MAP (Months After Planting) and root volume (76.53 cm3) at harvest. With respect to yield attributes, sorghum water extract produced the highest fruit weight (19.2 g fruit-1) which was on a par with other treatments. Fruit yield plant- 1 was significantly higher (0.25 kg) on spraying citric acid (T2) or humic acid (T4). The no stress treatment however recorded significantly higher growth attributes, yield attributes and yield compared to the application of organic preparations and biostimulants. Fruit quality aspects like crude fibre and ascorbic acid content were influenced by the spraying of biostimulants. Significantly higher crude fibre content was recorded with spraying of sorghum water extract and ascorbic acid content was significantly higher with yeast extract spraying. Spraying of salicylic acid recorded significantly higher plant N content while plant K content was the highest in no stress treatment. Fruit K content was significantly higher with spraying fermented cow dung water mixture. The highest N uptake was recorded by spraying moringa leaf extract, the highest P uptake with spraying citric acid, humic acid, moringa leaf extract and salicylic acid while the highest K uptake was recorded with fermented cow dung water mixture which was on a par with other treatments. However the no stress treatment recorded significantly higher N, P and K uptake (2.59, 0.22, 1.55 g plant-1) compared to biostimulant application. Irrigation requirement was the lowest with spraying of citric acid (19.04 L plant- 1 ) which did not differ from spraying of other biostimulants and was significantly lower than no stress treatment (22.78 L plant-1). Spraying citric acid or humic acid, cow dung water mixture or yeast extract produced higher water use efficiency which did not vary from no stress treatment. Spraying of citric acid also produced significantly higher water productivity among biostimulants which was on a par with no stress treatment. The irrigation interval was the highest for citric acid spraying (5.5 days) and lowest for spraying of water (3.2 days). Chlorophyll content was the highest with salicylic acid (1.58 mg g-1) spraying and was on par with citric acid spraying and no stress treatment. Relative Leaf Water Content (RLWC) one week after 1st spraying was significantly higher with sorghum water extract and one week after 4th spraying was significantly higher with spraying of moringa leaf extract or citric acid or no stress treatment compared to yeast extract or water spraying. The highest organic carbon content of potting mixture after the experiment was recorded with spraying of humic acid (1.18 per cent) which was significantly higher than no stress treatment. Among the biostimulants, citric acid recorded higher net returns (` 3.15 sack-1) and benefit: cost ratio (1.33). The results of the study indicated that spraying of citric acid (0.2 per cent) to the container grown okra was found to be the ideal treatment for inducing stress tolerance, reducing the irrigation requirement and increasing water use efficiency, water productivity and irrigation interval. It was also found to produce higher yield, net returns and benefit: cost ratio.
650			_aAgronomy
700			_aRajasree G (Guide)
856			_uhttp://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810140548
942			_2ddc _cTH