COMPARISON OF WEED SUPPRESSION ABILITY AND YIELD OF TWO OKRA CULTIVARS AND WITH DIFFERENT PLANTING DENSITY

Background: Planting density, resulting in specific population can be a determining practice in the cultivation of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus [L] Moench). Objective: Field experiments were conducted at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria to study the effects of planting density on weed suppression, growth and pod yield of Okra Cvs: NHAe 47-4 and LD 88 during the early and late growing seasons of 2013. Methodology: Plants were established at 100 x 50 cm at densities of 1, 2 and 3 plants.stand-1 (25,000; 50,000 and 75,000 plants.ha-1). Results: Okra plants were generally taller in the late season, relative to the early season but were comparable with planting density with both cultivars in the two seasons. Number of leaves.plant-1 was also similar with the cultivars but reduced with increasing plant density. Leaf area was higher with 1 plant.stand-1 in the early season but comparable with higher densities in the late season. Okra growth was generally higher with NHAe 47-4. LD 88 gave a higher cummulative pod yield than NHAe 47-4. Conclusion: LD 88 is better sustained with 3 plants.stand-1 but cultivation of NHAe 47-4 is better sustained with 1 or 2 plants.stand-1 density. LD 88 controls weed growth better than NHAe 47-4. Plating density does not affect weed growth.