Assessing impact of naphthalene acetic acid on the growth and yield of okra (abelmoschus esculentus (L.) moench)

This study assessed the impact of naphthalene acetic Acid (NAA) on the growth and yield of Okra cv. Sabz Pari at Agricultural Research Institute, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A field experiment was set out in randomised complete block design with NAA application as a main factor. Different NAA concentrations were obtained by dissolving NAA in distilled water at the rate of 0 (control), 10, 30, 50, 70, 90 and 110 mg/L. NAA treatments along with control were foliar applied to okra plants after 30 days of sowing. Lower concentration of NAA (30-50 mg/L) stimulated maximum increase in plant height (59.5-57.2%), number of leaves/plant (50.4-45.5%,), total plant leaf area (113.9-119.4%), internodes/plant (72.5-61.6%), internode length (53.2-44.5%), pod diameter (53.5-49.9%), pod fresh weight (126.-111.8%), pod yield (271.2-255.8%) compared to control (0 mg NAA/L). NAA at higher concentrations (>50 mg/L) had a supressing effect on most parameters. It was inferred that yield production in okra is influenced by multiple yield-determining component traits and their mutual interactions which could be manipulated by the application of NAA. Foliar application of NAA (30-50 mg/L) have a beneficial impact on plant characters and yield of Okra, hence recommended in Okra cultivation. (author)