Studies on Effect of Application of Zinc on Yield, Yield Components and Quality of Bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)

Abstract

Aims: The present study optimizes, the effect of application of zinc on yield and yield components of Bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench):  Place and Duration of Study: A field experiment on the effect of zinc application on the growth and yield attributes of bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) was carried out from February to May 2025 in the Eastern (E1) field of the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute, Karaikal. Methodology: The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 8 treatments and replicated thrice. The treatments consisted of  T₁ – Absolute control, T₂ – RDF + FYM @ 40 t ha⁻¹, T₃ – T₂ + Zn-EDTA @ 1.0 kg ha⁻¹ (SA), T₄ – T₂ + Zn-EDTA @ 1.25 kg ha⁻¹ (SA), T₅ – T₂ + ZnSO₄ @ 15 kg ha⁻¹ (SA),T₆ – T₂ + ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha⁻¹ (SA), T₇ – T₃ + Zn-EDTA @ 0.1% (FA), T₈ – T₅ + ZnSO₄ @ 0.5% (FA). Results: Results showed that the integrated application of Zn-EDTA @ 1 kg ha⁻¹ as basal soil application combined with foliar spray of Zn-EDTA @ 0.1% at 30 DAS (along with the recommended dose of fertilizers and FYM) produced the best outcomes for plant growth (plant height: 109.15 cm, number of branches: 2.95, LAI: 1.40), yield traits  (fruit length: 16.78 cm, girth: 7.64 cm, fruit weight: 15.01 g, number of fruits: 16.70) and fresh fruit yield (19.33 t ha⁻¹).Quality attributes, namely ascorbic acid (13.51 mg 100 g⁻¹) and crude protein (15.28%), were also highest under this treatment, signifying enhanced nutritional value and the lowest crude fiber (10.37%), confirming improved fruit tenderness from zinc supplementation. Conclusion: The study conclusively establishes that integrated zinc management, especially chelated zinc applications, boosts bhendi yield, thereby offering a practical recommendation for elevating productivity and profitability of bhendi under intensive cultivation.