Arka Nikita Emerges as Top-Performing Okra Variety in Anjaw
After two years of on-farm trials across 15 villages involving 50 farmers, KVK Anjaw has recommended Arka Nikita for wider adoption based on its early maturity, yield potential and adaptability.
ANJAW- The Arka Nikita variety of okra has emerged as the best-performing variety in two years of on-farm trials conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Anjaw, prompting the institution to recommend its wider adoption across the district.–
The trials were conducted to assess the suitability and performance of different okra varieties under Anjaw’s diverse agro-climatic conditions. The trials covered 15 villages and 50 farmers, including farm women and rural youth from different locations and farming situations.
Three varieties—Arka Nikita, Kashi Chaman and a locally available commercial variety—were evaluated under farmers’ field conditions. The assessment considered earliness, yield, disease tolerance and overall adaptability to local environmental conditions.
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Among the varieties tested, Arka Nikita, developed by IIHR, Bengaluru, recorded the strongest overall performance across different trial locations. The variety demonstrated early maturity, higher yield potential and better adaptability to the prevailing agro-climatic conditions of Anjaw. It also showed good tolerance to major diseases, including yellow vein mosaic virus.
The trials recorded first picking at around 43–45 days after sowing, while yields across the evaluated varieties ranged between 21 and 24 tonnes per hectare. These parameters formed part of the assessment used to determine suitability for local cultivation.
The consistent performance of Arka Nikita at different locations was considered an important indicator of its suitability under Anjaw’s varied growing conditions. According to KVK Anjaw, the variety could also provide opportunities for increasing productivity and improving farm-based income and livelihoods to some extent.
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Based on the results of the On-Farm Trials (OFTs) and feedback received from farmers, KVK Anjaw has recommended Arka Nikita for horizontal expansion and adoption at different locations across the district. The institution expects wider use of improved varieties to strengthen vegetable production, enhance farm income and encourage farmers to adopt improved horticultural technologies.
Dr. Debasis Sasmal, Senior Scientist and Head, KVK Anjaw, encouraged wider promotion of Arka Nikita among farmers, citing its early maturity, high yield potential and adaptability to local conditions. Satveer Yadav, SMS (Horticulture), also encouraged farmers to adopt the variety along with recommended production practices for higher productivity and better economic returns.
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The findings are significant for Anjaw, where farming takes place across varied locations and agro-climatic conditions. Rather than relying solely on a variety’s performance at a single demonstration site, the two-year trials involved farmers across multiple villages, providing a broader field-level assessment of its adaptability.
KVK Anjaw said it will continue promoting suitable vegetable varieties and improved production technologies through Frontline Demonstrations, training programmes and awareness activities, with the broader objective of supporting sustainable horticultural development in the district.
