Unité de Recherche d’Eco-Pedologie, Laboratoire de Sciences du Sol, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, 01 BP 526 Cotonou, Benin
Okra culture is subject to water deficit which reduces its production. The study aims to evaluate water consumption that could ensure optimal production of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) on ferralsol in southern Benin. It was conducted on Market Garden Crops Programme site of National Agricultural Research Institute of Benin. The experimental design is a Complete Randomized Block with the «irrigation dose» as factor at three levels such as 0, 4 and 8 mm of water per day. The volumetric water content and the water potential have been collected. Results revealed that flowering-fruiting phase is the most detrimental phase to water stress concerning for this okra’s variety. But it is possible to improve the water supply of this variety under rainy conditions with supplementary water supplies at determined doses and frequencies. For irrigation option, the dose D1= 8 mm per day is economic irrigation dose that could be recommended for «Jowizo» okra variety under similar agropedological and water availability conditions. However, irrigation dose D2 = 4 mm can be applied for this variety in case of rainfall scarcity.
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