EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON THE POD SETTING, ABORTED SEED, NUTRIENT, AND VITAMIN C CONTENT IN OKRA USING FLOWER OVARY INJECTION

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of different concentration of indole acetic acid (IAA), naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and gibberellic acid (GA3) on okra pod setting and size, soluble solids content (SSC), vitamin C and mineral contents using flower ovary injection method. The fruit set significantly increased in IAA and GA3 compared to the NAA at 100mg/L concentration. NAA had lower fruit setting than the IAA and GA3 treated plant. The higher pod (fruit) size was obtained in GA3 (18.8 cm²) as compared to the IAA (8.98) and NAA (8.72 cm²) at 100 (mg/L) of concentration. Moreover, the highest SSC was obtained by 100 mg/L of IAA concentration as compared to the GA3 and NAA. The maximum vitamin C was found in IAA and GA3 as compared to 100 mg/L NAA concentration. On the other hand, the higher mineral contents like K, Ca, Mg, Na and Fe was found in 100 mg/L IAA and GA3 concentrations than 100 mg/L NAA concentration. The higher concentrations (100 and 200 mg/L) of IAA and NAA greatly decreased the healthy seed percentage as compared to the lower concentration. However, GA3 increased the healthy seed percentage at 50 and 100 mg/L then decreased at 200 mg/L concentration. Aborted seed percent was increased from 25-100mg/L IAA and NAA and then decreased at 200 mg/L. however it was found increasing trend from 25-200mg/L GA3 concentration. It seemed that GA3 and IAA were better growth regulator as compared to the NAA for okra pod production and development of nutrient content.