title: Effect of chemical paclobutrazol on growth, yield and quality of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) Har lium cultivar in northeast Thailand.
abstract: This investigation was carried out at Mahasarakham University Experimental Farm, Mahasarakham University, Northeast Thailand in the late rainy season of the 2003 to 2004 with the use of Roi-Et soil series (Oxic Paleustults). The experiment aims to search for more information on the effect of different rates of chemical Paclobutrazol (PBZ) application on growth, yield and quality of edible okra pods. A Randomised Complete Block Design (RCDB) with four replications was used for the experiment. The experiments consisted of five treatments, i.e., 0 (T1), 4000 (T2), 8000 (T3), 12,000 (T4) and 16,000 ppm ha(-1) (T5) of chemical PBZ. The results showed that an increase in PBZ application rate highly decreased plant height, harvesting age and significantly decreased leaf area of the fifth leaf but highly increased pod length, fresh weight/pod and fresh pod yield ha(-1) of the okra plants. PBZ had no significant effect on stem diameter and diameter of pods of the okra plants. Total soluble solid, fibre content, titratable acid, vitamin C and pectin contents in pods were not affected by chemical PBZ application. Pod yield highly increased with an increase in rate of PBZ application. The highest edible pod yield reached a value of 4501 kg ha(-1) for the highest rate of PBZ application (T5).
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Technology, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham 44000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chutichudet
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benjawan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chutichudet
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chanaboon
mesh_terms: D028483:Abelmoschus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D000143:Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000383:Agriculture; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D010368:Pectins / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D012995:Solubility; D013785:Thailand; D017186:Titrimetry; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D014230:Triazoles; C053370:paclobutrazol; D010368:Pectins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid