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March 2017. At present, the temperatures are around 36-370C. The problem with okra is that we have seen bumps on the fruits. Same problems occur during the onsets of winter season. The problem also occurs during summer.
Later (June 2017), a moderator added the following: I have been looking through past emails to Pestnet to summarise the messages and put them on the website. I came to yours about bumps on eggplant fruit of last March. No. 12882.
A look online suggests that this is fairly common. On the website of the Georgia Gardener for instance it is suggested that the bumps are caused by stinkbugs. Here’s what’s said:
Question: Our okra has done great but within the last week it has gotten white bumps on the pods. Is it edible or not?
Answer: The bumps are “stings” from stinkbug feeding. Stinkbugs insert their hollow mouthpart into the okra skin and suck out juice. When they leave, the pod heals the wound with a characteristic white bump. Stinkbugs are tough to control when adults. Look for 1/4 inch long, brown, shield-shaped insects on your okra in early August neat year and control them with garden insecticide. In my experience, the okra is completely safe to eat.
http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/okra-edible-with-bumps-on-pods/
A similar story on the VeggieGardener: http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/vegetables/crops/hgic1313.html
By contrast, Clemson Cooperative Extension say that “Small bumps sometimes develop on the pod. This damage is not caused by the stink bug. The cause of these small bumps is not known.” http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/vegetables/crops/hgic1313.html.
So … have a look next time you grow the crop and let us know if stink bugs or another kind of bug with long feeding mouthparts (eg leaf-footed bugs) are found, but it looks like it’s still a mystery!
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