Assessment of Consumptive use and Water use Efficiency of Okra (abelmoschus esculentus l. Moench) Using Minilysimeters in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

Wuese ST, Agber PI and Kalu BA

This study was carried out during the 2015 and 2016 dry cropping seasons at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Southern Guinea Savanna Agroecology of Nigeria. The objectives were to determine the consumptive use and water use efficiency of okra using the Lysimetric technique. This involved the use of twelve (12) locally fabricated minilysimeters housing three (3) irrigation treatments corresponding to 50, 75 and 100% of the soil available water capacity replicated four (4) times and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The Blaney-Criddle formula which is latitude dependent derives its strength from a 5-year accumulated temperature, data was used to predict the potential evapotranspiration of okra. The crop evapotranspiration is equivalent to the crop water use. Results show that the consumptive use estimated varied from 263.52 – 1,944.90 mm, water use efficiency was from 22.73 – 2.28 kg/ha/mm and crop coefficients of 0.36 – 2.28 corresponding to 50 – 100% (Low to High) soil available water capacity (SAWC) respectively. Okra performed better under low soil available water capacity.

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