Effect of Nano Urea on Growth, Yield and Water Productivity of Okra under Fertigation in Inceptisols

A field investigation entitled Effect of nano urea on growth, yield and water productivity of okra under fertigation in Inceptisols was conducted during kharif season of the year 2023-24 at the Research Farm of Interfaculty Department of Irrigation Water Management, Post Graduate Institute, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with ten 10 treatments viz., T1- DI with 100 % RD of NPK; T2- DI with 75 % RDN; T3- DI with 50 % RDN; T4-DI with 75 % RDN + 2 sprays of Nano Urea @ 0.5 %; T5- DI with 75 % RDN + 2 sprays of Nano Urea @ 1.0 %; T6- DI with 75 % RDN + 2 sprays of conventional urea @ 1.0 %; T7- DI with 50 % RDN + 2 sprays of Nano Urea @ 0.5 %; T8- DI with 50 % RDN + 2 sprays of Nano Urea @ 1.0 %; T9- DI with 50 % RDN + 2 sprays of conventional urea @ 1.0 %; T10- DI with no fertilizer and foliar sprays (Control). Recommended dose of P2O5; and K2O was applied to all treatments except T10. The first foliar spray of nano urea was applied at 30& 35 days after planting and second spray at 50 &; 55 days after planting. The drip irrigation method was used for irrigation. The result indicated that the growth parameters of okra; such as plant count, plant height, number of leaves and girth of stem found to be significantly highest in treatment T1i.e. Drip irrigation with 100 % RD of NPK at 30, 60, 90 DAS. At harvest, treatment T1shows significantly highest plant height (252 cm), maximum number of leaves (13.67) and maximum girth of stem (7 cm). The treatment T1, which used a drip irrigation system and 100 % RD of NPK, produced the significantly highest yield of okra (18.33 t ha-1) than all other treatments. However, it was at par treatment T5;(17.33 t ha-1) and T6(16.63 t ha-1).The maximum values of WUE (water use efficiency)was obtained in treatment T1i.e. DI with 100 % RD of NPK (35.39 kg ha-1mm), followed by T5;i.e. DI with 75 % RDN + 2 sprays of Nano Urea @ 1.0 % (33.46 kg ha-1& mm) and T6& i.e. DI with 75 % RDN + 2 sprays of conventional urea @ 1.0 % (32.11 kg ha-1mm).