Effect of salinity stress on growth, yield and nutritional qualities of two okra varieties

Isiaka Kareem, Zainab Ayodeji Dauda, Saliu Adeyemi Kareem, Abdulmaliq S. Y., Adekola O. F., Abdulkareem K. A., Olayinka B. U., Abdul Aziz Ayinla, Alasinrin Sikiru Yusuf, Usman Magaji, Mahamoud Abdillahi Rabileh

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of salt stress on the growth yield and nutritional quality of two okra varieties. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Clemenson spineless NHA-e varieties of okra were the two varieties tested. The treatments used comprised four salinity levels (0 mM, 25 mM, 50 mM, and 75 mM) using sodium chloride as the salinity source. The varieties were assessed using plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, days to first flowering and fruit weight. Furthermore, moisture, carbohydrate, crude protein, crude fat, ash and crude fiber contents were used to assess the fruit nutritional qualities. The results showed that Clemenson spineless variety had better tolerance to salinity stress in plant height, days to flowering, fruit mass, ash content and crude protein content. However, NHA-e variety was more tolerant in fruit dry matter, crude fibre content, carbohydrate content and ether extract content. It is concluded that Clemenson spineless was more tolerant to salinity stress than NHA-e variety. Therefore, Clemenson spineless variety should be used in saline areas of Ilorin which is the northern guinea savannah zone of Nigeria and places with the same edaphic and climatic attributes.

Keywords: growth and yield of okra; okra varieties; proximate analysis; salinity stress

Date published: 2020-07-29