Effect of cycocel on germination, flowering and yield of okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] cv. Kashi Pragati

Okra is an economically important vegetable crop grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. It is an important vegetable crop grown in summer and rainy seasons throughout India. Major okra growing states include Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat etc., while Andhra Pradesh ranks first in area, production and productivity. Okra is grown for its green, tender and nutritive fruits which are used for canning and frozen despite the use as vegetable. Owing to continuous increase in demand there is a need to increase the productivity by adopting novel techniques overcome the biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Among them water stress in plants is major one which could be mitigated by using plant growth regulators. One such chemical is cycocel (2-choloroethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) which plays a major role in enhancing yield in stress conditions. The study was conducted to know the effect of cycocel on germination, flowering and yield in okra. The experiment was laid in Randomized Block Design with three replications. Okra cultivar Kashi Pragati was used in the experiment. Cycocel was applied at concentrations of 150 ppm, 300 ppm and 450 ppm as seed soaking alone (for 16 hr and shade dried for 2 hr before sowing), foliar spray alone (at 20 days after sowing and 40 days after sowing) and both seed soaking and foliar spray along with unsoaked control and water soaked treatment totalling to 11 treatment combinations. Among all the treatments, cycocel at 450 ppm as both seed soaking and foliar spray proved to be the best which resulted in early germination of seed, early flowering (30 days after sowing) and highest pod yield (245.05 q/ha). Cycocel is known to enhance water uptake and increase in diameter of hypocotyl giving it better thrust power resulting in early germination. Enhancement of reproductive phase attributed to early flowering and higher yield.