Assessment of the Agronomic Performance of Seven Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.), Moench) Cultivars in Southern Côte d’Ivoire

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L., Moench) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Malvaceae family. It is cultivated for its fruits in tropical and subtropical countries. Its global yield is estimated at more than 11 million tons, 32.74% of which comes from Africa. However, this yield remains insufficient to cover the food needs of populations. This is why new high-yielding cultivars are proposed so as to achieve food security. This study aims to contribute to improving food security by evaluating the agronomic performance of seven (7) cultivars (Clemson spineless, Noura F1, Djonan F1, Teriman, Divo, Kopê F1 and Local) introduced into Côte d'Ivoire. Thus, a Fisher block trial was set up on the experimental plot of the Pedagogical and Research Unit of Plant Physiology and Pathology at the University Félix HOUPHOUPËT-BOIGNY, in September 2022 and replicated in March 2023. The growth parameters (height, collar diameter and number of leaves and branches) were assessed at the 30th, 45th, 60th days and at cycle end. Moreover, phenological stages and yield were assessed. The results showed that all the tested cultivars had a height between 62 and 112 m at cycle end. The collar diameter of the plants of all cultivars oscillated between 17 and 24 mm, while the number of branches varied between 6 and 9. Noura F1 cultivar was the first to reach 50% flowering at 40 DAS and Kopê F1 cultivar the last one (61 DAS). All the cultivars had a yield significantly higher than 13 t/ha with the exception of Local (7.82 t/ha) and Kopê F1 (6.99 t/ha) cultivars. It would be advisable to evaluate the agronomic and health behaviour of these cultivars in other agro-ecological zones of Côte d'Ivoire before any large-scale dissemination.