The objective of this work was to evaluate yield and nutritional status of organically cultivated Santa Cruz okra as a function of planting densities and doses of swine biofertilizer. The experiment was carried out at the EPAMIG Experimental Farm, in Oratorios-MG, Brazil, from 16/10/2007 to 22/02/2008. The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks, with four replications, in a 2 x 5 factorial, with two plant populations and five doses of biofertilizer obtained by the fermentation of liquid swine waste. The two populations were 23809 and 35714 plants.ha-1, obtained in the 1.4 x 0.30 m spacing with a plant per hole and 1.4 x 0.40 m with two plants per hole. Biofertilizer doses were: 0; 6; 12; 24 and 48 m3.ha-1, with 80% applied in furrow 15 days before transplantation and 20% top-dressing at 30 days after seedling transplantation. The characteristics evaluated included nutrient leaf content, SPAD index, plant height, number of stems and production of commercial and non-commercial fruits. The use o the swine biofertilizer gave plants with a good nutritional status. The SPAD index correlated positively with N leaf content, with the highest concentrations at the highest doses of the swine biofertilizer, mainly in the smallest plant population. The number and commercial fruit production per plant were larger when a smaller plant population was used. The highest yield achieved in the population of 35714 plants ha-1 was 31.23 ton ha-1, and in the population of 23809 plant.ha-1 was 21.9 ton ha-1, both at the highest dose of biofertilizer. The highest commercial yield of okra fruits was obtained with the largest plant population.
Abelmoschus esculentus; plant density; nutrient concentration; organic fertilizer
