Evaluation of yield and some agronomic and physiological traits in okra genotypes under the effect of different irrigation regimes

In order to investigate the effect of irrigation intervals, 15 selected Okra genotypes from the National Gene Bank of Iran were cultivated and evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the 2020-2021 crop year in the experimental research farm of the Seedling and Seed Breeding Research Institute in Karaj (Seed and Plant Improvement Institute).

After the plants entered the three-leaf stage, irrigation was done once every 5 and 10 days.

The results of the analysis of variance showed that the effect of drought stress on all measured traits, including plant height, fruit yield, biological yield, number of ripe fruits, weight of ripe fruit, diameter of ripe fruit, number of seeds per ripe fruit, 1000-seed weight, sugar, and protein content, was statistically significant. Under drought-stress conditions, the mean of all evaluated traits (except soluble sugars) was reduced. The highest fruit yield (12.06 tons per hectare) belonged to genotype 10, which decreased by 37.5% compared to the non-stress conditions of this genotype. Genotypes 1 and 12 had the least change in protein content, genotypes 4 and 6 had the least change in sugar content, and genotypes 9 and 11 had the least change in biological function.

Based on the results obtained from this experiment, the best genotype in terms of fruit yield was genotype 10, and in terms of biological function, genotypes 9 and 11 were recommended for use in areas with water shortages.