Abstract

Okra an important vegetable crop is fairly high in vitamins and minerals and is eaten raw and present in everyday dishes of Vietnam. Nowadays, organic farming is a trend which fetches higher value for farmers while is also safe from chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic cultivation of okra though cow dung is yet to be explored before adoption. The field experiment was conducted in the winter-spring season of 2020 at Huong An commune, Huong Tra town, Central Vietnam to investigate the effects of levels of compost made from cow dung on the growth, yield of okra plants and soil property. Five different doses of cow dung compost (0, 2, 4. 6, 8 tons/ha) were applied to the soil. Growth, yield components and yield were investigated. The results indicated that cow dung compost had a positive effect on the growth and yield of okra. The application of 6 and 8 tons of cow dung compost recorded the highest pod yields of 6.5 and 6.6 tons/ha, respectively. The soils decomposed with cow dung compost resulted in increased organic matter content thus improving the soil physical and chemical properties. Cow dung compost may be recommended to farmers for organic okra production.