Abstract            Volume:12  Issue-1  Year-2024         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

A field experiment was conducted during the summer seasons of 2017 and 2018 at VNMKV, Parbhani to evaluate the effects of different plastic mulches and irrigation regimes on soil moisture conservation and yield prediction of summer okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). The study employed a split plot design with three irrigation levels (80%, 100%, and 120% ETc) and four mulch treatments (transparent, black, silver-black plastic mulch, and no mulch). Key agronomic, environmental, and biological parameters such as soil moisture, soil temperature, microbial population, and plant growth traits were recorded. Significant positive correlations were found between okra yield and root length, plant height, microbial population, and soil moisture. Among the mulches, silver-black plastic mulch demonstrated superior performance in maintaining optimal soil moisture and temperature, resulting in the highest fruit yield. Multiple regression analysis using SPSS revealed that root length and plant height was the most influential variables for yield prediction. The developed pooled regression model, Y = -134.094 + 4.317*Root length + 1.614*Plant height, R²= 0.93 indicating strong predictive ability. The findings underscore the effectiveness of integrating plastic mulching and optimized irrigation in enhancing okra productivity under semi-arid conditions and provide a scientific basis for informed agronomic decision-making.

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