Lady’s finger — a nutritive vegetable
Okra (also called Lady’s finger) is an important vegetable around the world. It is a powerhouse of valuable nutrients and a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, folacin, vitamin B and fibre. The vegetable also contains magnesium, potassium and calcium. Fat-free and cholesterol-free okra is low in calories. The extra foliate supplied by this vegetable is beneficial for women during pregnancy.
This vegetable is also high in dietary fibres that help stabilise blood sugar. It can also help reduce cholesterol by binding along with bile acids. The mucilaginous material in the pod also facilitates the binding. This property of the vegetable is comparable to taking statins, the drug that is prescribed in cases of high cholesterol or high fat in blood. This, however, works inside the intestines eliminating the source of high fat that is already attached with bile salts. The vegetable is used for soups and stews or eaten as a fried or boiled vegetable.
The 50 per cent soluble fibre of okra helps reduce the risk of heart diseases. The other 50 per cent of the vegetable (insoluble fibre) helps reduce risk of some forms of cancer. Moreover, nearly 10 per cent of the recommended levels of vitamin B 6 are also present in half cup of cooked okra. The vegetable is consumed with other vegetables and fish or meat.
Among ulcer suffering people, okra can be beneficial as an anti-ulcer, comparable to a standard drug misoprotol. The alkaline pH of okra could also contribute to its effect in gastro-intestinal ulcers by neutralising the digestive acids. The vegetable boiled in salted water is eaten as a cure for heartburn, particularly by women during advanced stage of pregnancy. It is also used as cure for pneumonia, bronchitis, urinary problems and tuberculosis of the lungs.
Okra’s foliage and bell-like yellow flowers with red centres make it an ornamental plant for gardens. It is available round the year with a peak season during summer. The pods grow rapidly, being ready for harvest in about 60 days of summer weather, when grown from seed.
The vegetable grows best in well-drained, fertile soils in full sun. Soil pH is generally not a problem for the plant as it grows well in soils that are slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (pH 6.5 to 7.5).
Okra seeds do not germinate well in cold soils. The seeds should be planted after the soil is warm in the spring. The seed is soaked in water or wrapped in moist paper or towel overnight to accelerate germination. Five to six okra seeds should be planted in a 12-inch pot. The seedlings do not transplant well. After germination two plants per pot should be taken out. The vegetable requires a long warm growing season.
Okra can tolerate dry conditions. However, watering may be necessary during extended dry periods. It needs to be evenly moist throughout the growing season. Moisture is especially important during flowering and pod development. Before planting, about one to two pounds of an all-purpose garden fertiliser should be applied. When harvesting begins, a small amount of nitrogen should be sprinkled around each plant. However, heavy nitrogen applications should be avoided otherwise it may promote vegetative growth and reduce crop yield.
Build up of colonies of aphids should be watched on the undersides of the leaves. The plant can grow up to six feet in height. The pods should be picked while they are tender and immature (2 to 3 inches long for most varieties). Use of a sharp knife or hand shears is best for picking up pods. They must be picked often- at least every other day. Okra does not like to have its roots disturbed.
Problems and Care: The area around okra plants should be kept weed free. Weeds and grass close to the plant should be carefully removed by hand without damaging the roots. Plants are susceptible to stem rot, so while watering the plant the soil should be soaked and not the plant. Yield will increase if plants are watered deeply. To reduce the potential for fruit rot problems good air circulation should be ensured.
Some of the many insect pests which may attack okra are silver leaf whitefly, heliothis, stink bugs, rough bollworm, looper caterpillars and green vegetable bugs. Aphids and mites may also occur on okra crops. Aphids can be washed off with a steady stream of water or sprayed with soap spray. Stink bugs are more difficult to control. These can be hand picked and destroyed. If the pods/fruits are not picked on time and allowed to mature on the plant, flowering and further production will be reduced. Branch thinning or cutting off branches may be necessary to control dense growth of the plant.
Harvest: The edible part of the okra plant is the immature pod. The first pods may be ready to harvest in two months after planting and will continue to bear for several months, especially when over-mature pods are removed on a regular basis. The pods reach marketable size approximately in four to six days after flowering. Sizes of three to five inches are considered optimum for consumption. If the pods grow longer, they will become more fibrous and lower in quality and value.
Post harvest handling: The pods must be handled with care to avoid bruising. Bruises will turn black a few hours after rough handling. The use of soft cotton gloves will help prevent pod damage. Okra should not be stored in large bins or hampers since the pods will bleach due to lack of proper ventilation.
The pod should be stored at 45°F (7°C) at a relative humidity of 90 to 95 per cent. At higher temperatures the pods will turn yellow, toughen and start to decay. As little as three per cent moisture losses will cause okra to appear wilt. Okra should be marketed immediately after harvesting. Storage shelf-life for the vegetable is seven to 10 days.
In general, okra has the same storage requirements as green beans, cucumber, eggplant, peppers and squash. These products may be stored together without damage. Harvesting and packing are the major costs of producing fresh market okra.