International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2278-3202 9 4 2020 11 10 Potassium-based fertilizer potentially reduces the incidence of sucking insects on okra and increases marketable yield 50 58 EN Raval Hiral S. 1 Department of Zoology, B.P. Baria Science Institute, Navsari, Affiliated with Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat, India Shah Alkesh I. 2 Department of Zoology, B.P. Baria Science Institute, Navsari, Affiliated with Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat, India E. Etim Marylene 1 Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria C. Eze Chinwe 2 Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria O. Ikeanumba Michael 3 Department of Biology, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria E. Adieze Ifechukwu 4 Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria Hande Dilip 1 P.G. Department of Botany Shri Shivaji Science College Amaravati, Dist. Amaravati-44603, MS, India M. Athar Sifal 2 P.G. Department of Botany Shri Shivaji Science College Amaravati, Dist. Amaravati-44603, MS, India Pandirkar Akshay 1 Environment & Ecology Department, Tata Consulting Engineers, Unit No. NB 1502 & SB -1501, 15th floor, Empire Tower, Cloud City Campus, Kalwa Industrial Estate, Thane, Belapur Rd, Airoli, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400708 Kumar Alok 2 Environment & Ecology Department, Tata Consulting Engineers, Unit No. NB 1502 & SB -1501, 15th floor, Empire Tower, Cloud City Campus, Kalwa Industrial Estate, Thane, Belapur Rd, Airoli, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400708 Buragohain M. 1 Department of Chemistry, Lakhimpur Girls College, Assam, India Kakoti N. 2 Department of Chemistry, Lakhimpur Girls College, Assam, India Sarmah P. 3 Department of Chemistry, Lakhimpur Girls College, Assam, India Mahanta S.R. 4 Department of Chemistry, Lakhimpur Girls College, Assam, India Pegu B.K. 5 Department of Life Sciences, Dibrugarh University, Assam, India Saha Tomalika 1 Department of Entomology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh Ahmad Masum 2 Department of Entomology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh Das Gopal 3 Department of Entomology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh > Research Paper 2020 6 25 2020 11 10 Plant nutrition has a substantial role on the susceptibility of plants to sucking insect pests. Hemipteran insects are very much sensitive to plant nutritional profiles. Higher than recommended level of P and K-based fertilizers would be the potential alternate of conventional insecticides for managing sucking insects in field condition. Therefore, in the present study, 10-30% higher amount of N, P and K-based fertilizers in addition with recommended doses were evaluated on the pest density of sucking insects like jassids, whiteflies and aphids on okra at different time of the study period. After given each specific treatment, data were recorded on number of sucking insects per leaf, number of curled leaves per plant and uninfested yield of okra. According to the reuslts, 30% extra application of K-based fertilizers remarkably reduced pest population density, curled leaf formation and increased yield compared to control (recommended doses of K) that was followed by 20% extra K. Application of 10% extra K was found less effective compared to 20 or 30% K. In case of phosphorus fertilizer, only 30% extra P-based fertilizer in addition with recommended doses has provided good results in reducing population incidence but 10 and 20% extra application was found less effective. 30% extra application of N-based fertilizer in addition with recommended doses strongly increased population density and decreased pod yield compared to control or 10 and 20% extra N. Benefit-cost ratio analysis showed that the highest benefit or return was found when okra plants were treated with 30% extra K-based fertilizer that was followed by 30% extra P-based fertilizer. The lowest return was found from 30% extra N-based fertilizer treated plots. Hence, application of 30% extra K-based fertilizers in addition with recommended N-P-K doses would be the potential alternate of conventional chemical insecticides in managing sucking insects like jassids, whiteflies, aphids etc. in field condition. Copyright@ International Science Community Association