Latest Okra Seed Prices and Cultivation Methods Explained

Okra is also known as yellow okra, goat's horn bean, kidney-tonifying vegetable, etc. It is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Abelmoschus in the mallow family, native to India and now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. In China, it is also grown on a large scale in Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong and other places, and has long been known as the king of vegetables. It has extremely high cultivation value. Let's take a look at okra seed prices and cultivation methods together!

How much does a jin of okra seeds cost?

The price of okra seeds is about 40 to 60 yuan per jin, but it varies depending on the seed variety, quality, place of origin and purchase quantity. Okra is mostly propagated by seed in production, and can be raised as seedlings for transplanting or sown directly. Raising seedlings for transplanting uses about 0.6 jin of seed per mu, while direct sowing uses about 2 jin of seed per mu. From sowing to the formation of the first tender pod, okra takes about 55 days, after which the entire harvest period lasts as long as 90 to 120 days, and the whole growth period can reach about 150 days or even longer, with yields mostly around 2000 to 3000 kg per mu.

Okra Sowing Methods

1. Direct sowing in the field: Spring sowing is best for okra. Before sowing, soak the seeds for 12 hours, then place them at 25 to 30 degrees C to promote germination. Sow when 60 to 70% of the seeds have “broken their mouths”. Hole sowing is preferable, with 3 plants per hole and a hole depth of 2 to 3 cm. Water first, then sow, then cover with about 2 cm of soil.

2. Seedling raising and transplanting: In early to mid-March, raise seedlings in a sunny seedbed or solar greenhouse. Soak the seeds to promote germination before sowing, sow in spots at a plant and row spacing of 10 cm, and cover with soil about 2 cm thick. After sowing, keep the seedbed soil temperature at 25 degrees C, and seedlings will sprout and emerge in 4 to 5 days. They can be planted out when the seedling age is 30 to 40 days.

Okra Cultivation Methods

1. Land preparation and fertilisation: After the previous crop is harvested, the okra planting plot should be deeply ploughed in autumn and winter in good time. Before planting, work the soil until it is fine, level, loose and soft, spread 5000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure and 20 kg of compound fertiliser per mu, then open furrows and make beds.

2. Thinning and intertillage: After okra seedlings emerge, carry out timely intertillage and weeding, about once every 10 days. Before the first flower opens, intertillage should be strengthened and the seedlings appropriately hardened to promote root development. Before the rows close, intertillage and earth up to prevent the plants from lodging.

3. Fertiliser and water management: During growth, okra requires relatively high air and soil humidity, especially during the flowering and fruiting period, when sufficient water is needed. At the same time, on the basis of applying sufficient base fertiliser, apply appropriate topdressing. The first topdressing is carried out after seedling emergence, applying 6 to 7 kg of urea per mu.

4. Setting up supports and removing leaves: In summer, okra should be given supports to prevent lodging. In the early growth stage, excessive vegetative growth that causes spindly growth should be prevented. In the middle and late stages, the old leaves on each node below the harvested tender pods should be removed in good time. For fruits kept for seed, the growing tips should be pinched off in good time to promote the ripening of the seed fruits.

5. Timely harvesting: From sowing until the plant is about 30 cm tall and has 7 to 9 true leaves, okra begins to flower and set pods. The formation of the first tender pod takes about 55 days, after which the entire harvest period lasts as long as 90 to 120 days, and the whole growth period can reach about 150 days or even longer.

Okra Pest and Disease Control

1. Phytophthora blight

[Damage] Yellow okra can be infected at the seedling stage and the adult plant stage. When seedlings grow beyond 20 cm, the disease spots spread from the leaves to the main stem, making the stem thinner and faded. In the early stage of the disease, the spots are dark green, water-soaked and irregular in shape, and after expanding they turn brown.

[Control] Seize the early stage of the disease and spray with 72% mancozeb plus cymoxanil WP at 500 times dilution, or 69% dimethomorph plus mancozeb WP at 900 times dilution, or 64% oxadixyl plus mancozeb WP at 400 times dilution, or 58% metalaxyl plus mancozeb WP at 500 times dilution once every 7 to 10 days, for 2 to 3 treatments.

2. Viral disease

[Damage] After the plant is infected, the whole plant suffers, especially the tender leaves at the top, which are very obviously affected. The leaves show mosaic or brown mottled patterns. If infected early, the plant is stunted and sets few or no fruits.

[Control] In the early stage of the disease, treat 3 times with 5% junduqing WP at 400 to 500 times dilution, or 20% virus A WP at 400 times dilution, or 15% zhibingling at 1000 times dilution, or 83% zengkangji at 100 times dilution, once every 7 to 10 days.

3. Poisonous caterpillars

[Damage] Poisonous caterpillars mainly harm yellow okra at the seedling stage, often feeding on the leaf tissue after emergence and causing notches, and in severe cases leaving only the leaf veins.

[Control] Spray with 10% chlorfenapyr EC at 1500 times dilution, or 5% fipronil SC at 1500 times dilution, or avermectin EC plus fenvalerate EC at 3000 times dilution.

4. Ants

[Damage] After yellow okra flowers, ants often gather on the floral organs and cause damage.

[Control] Spray with 48% chlorpyrifos EC at 1000 times dilution, or 5% fipronil EC at 1500 times dilution, or mix 0.3% fipronil solution with sawdust and scatter it where ants emerge to trap and kill them.