Investigation on Assessment of avoidable losses due to insect-pests in staggered sown okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench crop was carried out at Agronomy Farm, N.M. College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat during summer season 2021. The experiment was laid out in split plot design, with five different time of sowing ((S1- 12th February, S2- 22th February, S3- 8th March, S4- 22th March and S5- 8th April) as a main plot treatments and two levels of protection (P0 – Unprotected and P1- Protected) as a sub plot treatment with three replications using okra cultivar, GAO-5 . Protected condition registered higher yield (2260 to 12431 kg/ha) as compared to unprotected condition (1550 to 6500 kg/ha) in crop sown during different time. Avoidable loss due to insect pests was maximum (56.29%) when okra crop sown during 4th week of February (S2) whereas it was lowest (31.41%) in late sown crop i.e. 2nd week of April (S5). Hence, it is advisable to grow okra crop during the end of February month to get maximum advantage from insect pest.

Highlights

• Okra is an important vegetable crop and attack of so many insect pests are the limiting factor in okra cultivation.
• Though the protection to the okra crop against insect pest is essential to get higher marketable fruit yield, the damage losses can be effectively avoided by managing the time of sowing.