Effect of integrated use of bio-inoculants and fertilizer nitrogen on growth, yield and nitrogen economy of Okra

A field experiment was conducted in a weakly acidic loam soil of Bhubaneswar during kharif 2001 to study the integrated effect of bio-inoculants and fertilizer nitrogen on growth, yield and nitrogen economy of okra (cv. BO-2) crop. Graded levels of N were tested in presence or absence of bio-inoculants (Azotobacter and Azospirillum). The result showed that the integrated treatments had better crop growth, higher nutrient uptake and fresh fruit yield as compared to fertilizer alone. The yield due to fertilizer N (50 per cent) integrated with bio-inoculants was statistically at par with 100 per cent fertilizer N alone. Thus it suggested a saving of 50 per cent fertilizer N due to use of bio-inoculants. However integration of bio-inoculants with higher levels of fertilizer N i.e. 75 and 100 per cent N doses yielded significantly higher yields i.e. 76.7 and 87.0 q ha−1 of okra crop.