EFFECT OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON THE PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF OKRA [Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench]
R. KAMALRAJ *
Research Scholar, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India.
M. NANDHIVARMAN
Research Scholar, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India.
G. POYYAMOLI
Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India.
G. GOWTHAMRAJ
Research Scholar, Department of Food Science and Technology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India.
SETHU PRIYADHARSHINI
Research Scholar, Department of Food Science and Technology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The effect of inorganic fertilizer and organic amendments on nutritional composition of the Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) was investigated under laboratory conditions (pot experiment with 3 replicates). Totally seven treatments were prepared and used in this study. Okra seeds were planted into 24 pots (10L capacity), filled with 9 Kg of farm soil and 100 g of different treatments were added at the time of planting the seedlings, after three and five weeks of planting. All the nutritional estimation was done as per standard methods. Significant differences (P≤0.05) were found in the proximate composition, compared with different treatments. The highest composition in carbohydrate (8.3 %), ash (2.5 %) and fiber (3.1 %) were recorded in T5 (biochar). The maximum value for protein (1.9 %) was in T4 (farmyard manure), fat (1.44 %), and moisture (86.9 %) in T8 (food waste compost). The results of nutritional composition revealed that the Organic manure treated pods exhibited highest composition of proximate elements-especially biochar (T5) treated pods, while compared with the inorganic fertilizer and control pods.
Keywords: Biochar, fiber, inorganic fertilizers, nutritional composition, okra, organic fertilizers