CRESCIMENTO, PRODUTIVIDADE, ANÁLISE DE SEMENTES E CUSTO DE PRODUÇÃO DE QUIABO SOB LÂMINAS DE IRRIGAÇÃO POR GOTEJAMENTO

Abstract

Okra is a vegetable of great nutritional value and well accepted in the Brazilian market. Okra is widely cultivated by smallholders, and this crop requires the use of technology for irrigation management and cultivars, so that their cultivation can be technically accomplished and economically viable. This study aimed to evaluate different plates of drip irrigation [crop evapotranspiration (ETc)] on plant growth, fruit yield, seed quality, and production cost of okra. This study was carried out in the experimental field at Instituto Federal Goiano (Goiano Federal Institute), Ceres Campus, Goiás State (GO), Brazil. The experimental design was in randomized block, using 5 x 2 factorial scheme and four replicates, consisted of ten control treatments with five different plates of drip irrigation (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, and 125% from ETc) and two okra cultivars (Santa Cruz 47 and Speedy). The cultivars were planted in an area of 287.5 m², at 1 x 0.5 m spacing. Data were collected from July 13 to October 4, 2018. Irrigation management was carried out on the basis of a Class A tank. The drip localized irrigation system with a flow of 1.6 L h-1 was used every three-day watering shift. The variables evaluated were fruit length and diameter, plant height, number of fruits per plant, stem diameter, crown diameter, number of lateral branches, water use efficiency, yield, germination pattern test, mass of thousand seeds, electrical conductivity, moisture degree, accelerated seed aging, and financial viability. The plate 125% from ETc showed higher results for fruit length and diameter, plant height, number of fruits per plant, number of lateral branches, and yield for okra cultivars. The okra yield in the Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah) of Goiás State with drip irrigation and plate replacement 125% from ETc is economically viable and offered higher profits. The okra cultivars grown under plates 100% and 125% from ETc resulted in high vigor in the electrical conductivity test. Santa Cruz okra cultivar showed higher performance when irrigation plates were applied in the growth, yield, and in the quality of okra seeds.