IMPROVING OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L.) GROWTH AND YIELD BY MITIGATING DROUGHT THROUGH EXOGENEOUS APPLICATION OF SALICYLIC ACID

Salicylic acid (SA) is known as an endogeneous signaling molecule that is involved in physiological processes in plants, plant resistance and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. This study was carried out to assess the response of salicylic acid and irrigation intervals on growth and yield of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) variety TS-NARGIS using RCB Design with split plot arrangement having two factors i.e. irrigation intervals (5, 10 and 15 days) and Salicylic acid (0, 80, 160 and 240mgl(-1)), replicated three times. Data regarding morphological traits (plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves per plant) and yield related traits (Number of pods per plant, single pod weight, average pod length, and total yield per hectare) were recorded. Results showed that the reduction of irrigation interval from 15 to 5 days statistically improved maximum plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, while minimum days to flowering, minimum days to first picking and maximum single pod weight, pod length, no of pods plant(-1) and high yield were recorded at 10 days irrigation interval. Application of salicylic acid at 240mgl(-1) had minimum days to flowering, days to picking and maximum single pod weight, average pod length, plant height, no of leaves plant(-1), number of pods plant(-1), stem diameter and yield.