Biochemical Characterization of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) Pods, Cultivated under Different Soil Condition

Abstract

Soil biochemical properties have been shown to have a significant impact on agricultural products and nutritional properties. The  purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of soil biochemical properties on the biochemical qualities of okra (Abelmoschus  esculentus L.) pods. The soil in which the okra plants were grown was subjected to four different treatments. Treatment 1 (T1) received  no amendment and was referred to as the control; treatment 2 (T2) received organic manure applied at a rate of 3000 kg/ha; treatment 3  (T3) received potassium nitrate (KNO₃) fertilizer applied at a rate of 200 kg/ha; and treatment 4 (T4) received a combination of organic  manure and KNO₃, mixed at a rate of 3000 kg/ha (organic manure) and 200 kg/ha (KNO₃) fertilizer (KNO₃). The okra pods were harvested 15 days after flowering and the concentrations of nitrate, protein, potassium, copper, and calcium were determined using  standard approved procedures. The results of the tests revealed that the pre-harvest treatments had a significant (p 0.05) effect on the  biochemical properties of the okra pods. The study's findings revealed that T1 okra pods had the lowest protein content (0.57 percent),  while T4 okra pods had the highest protein content (0.57%) (0.97% ). Similarly, the T1 pods had the lowest nitrate concentration (11.43  mg/kg), while the T3 pods had the highest (15.64 mg/kg). The results also revealed that the T3 pods had the highest calcium  concentration (824.67 mg/kg), while the T1 pods had the lowest (439.67 mg/kg). In terms of copper concentration in okra pods, the  results showed copper concentrations of 7.51 mg/kg, 8.42 mg/kg, 9.07 mg/kg, and 10.31 mg/kg in okra pods produced under T1, T2, T3,  and T4 regimes, respectively. The T1 pods had the lowest potassium concentration (2088.00 mg/kg), while the T3 pods had the highest  potassium concentration (5546.00 mg/kg). Because the T4 pod generated high protein content and low nitrate content, this study found  that combination treatment is the preferable treatment method, because nitrate accumulation in edible plant parts is hazardous to  humans.