Utilization of Plant Extracts for Managing Fruit Borers in Okra, [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]

Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] is an annual vegetable belonging to malvaceae family; it is also known by different names viz., ladies finger, bhindi, bamia, okro or gumbo in different parts of the world. Okra is valued for its tender green fruits. It is cooked in a variety of ways and used as an ingredient in a wide variety of dishes. Young tender leaves are used as a leafy vegetable in some parts of the world. The ripe seeds are roasted, ground and used as substitute for coffee in Turkey (Mehta, 1959). The roots and stem are used for clearing the cane juice from which gur or brown sugar is prepared (Chauhan, 1972). Its medicinal value has also been reported in curing ulcer and relief from haemorrhoids (Adams, 1975). The total area and production under okra in the world is reported to be 1.26 million ha and 22.29 million tonnes, respectively (Anonymous, 2017). It is mainly grown in India, Nigeria, Sudan, Pakistan, Ghana, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Cameroon. India ranks first in area and production which followed by Nigeria. In India, it is grown in an area of 0.50 million ha with an annual production of 5.98 International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 05 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com