Influence of Varieties and Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Growth and Yield of Seed in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

Abstract

Background: Cowpea is one of the most important leguminous vegetable crops. It has a unique ability of biological nitrogen fixation and mobilization of insoluble soil nutrient and bringing qualitative changes in soil. The basic concept of integrated nutrient management system is to maintain of plant nutrients supply to achieve a good level of crop production by optimizing the benefits from all possible sources of plant nutrients in an integrated manner, appropriate to each farming system. Considering these aspects, a field experiment was conducted to boost up productivity of cowpea seed. Methods: A field experiment was carried out during Rabi season, 2015-16 at Research Field of the Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh). The experiment was arranged in factorial randomized block design with twenty treatment combinations comprising four cowpea varieties, viz. V1-Pusa Sukomal, V2-Kashi Unnati, V3-Kashi Kanchan and V4-Kashi Shyamal and five integrated nutrient management (INM) practices, viz. N1-Vermicompost 2.5t + Rhizobium (10g/kg seeds) + PSB (10 g/kg seeds) + N (0 kg) + P2O5 (90 kg) + K2O (70 kg)/ha; N2 -Vermicompost 2.5t + Rhizobium (10 g/kg seeds) + PSB (10 g/kg seeds) + N (15kg) + P2O5 (90kg) + K2O (70 kg)/ha; N3 -Vermicompost 2.5t + Rhizobium (10 g/kg seeds) + PSB (10 g/kg seeds) + N (20 kg) + P2O5 (90 kg) + K2O (70 kg)/ha; N4 -Vermicompost 2.5 t + Rhizobium (10 g/kg of seeds) +PSB (10 g/kg seeds) + N (25 kg) + P2O5 (90 kg) + K2O (70 kg)/ha and N5-Vermicompost 2.5 t + Rhizobium (10 g/kg seeds) + PSB (10 g/kg seeds) + N (30 kg) + P2O5 (90 kg) + K2O (70 kg)/ha. Result: In present experiment the cowpea variety V1-Pusa Sukomal recorded superior performance for growth attributes, yield and yield attributes and quality attributes. This variety had taken minimum days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering and days to harvesting. Among the nutrient levels, application of Vermicompost 2.5 t + Rhizobium (10 g/kg seeds) + PSB (10 g/kg seeds) + N (30 kg) + P2O5 (90 kg) + K2O (70 kg)/ha resulted in the highest growth parameters, yield and yield parameters of cowpea seed.

Additive Response of Biofertilizers on Seed Yield and Quality in Cowpea

“…The positive influence on nutrient content might be due to its impact on the carbon cycle in the plant i.e., higher CO 2 fixation and their efficient translocation toward developing seeds. The maximum uptake of these nutrients in this treatment may be owing to better root development as well as more nutrient availability by these microorganisms, resulting in better absorption and utilization of all plant nutrients leading to increased photoassimilates, thus resulting in more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in seed (Pardhi et al (2022)…”

Effect of Organic Manures on Growth and Yield of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) Varieties

“…It is suitable for cultivation in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh states. Kashi Unnati is also a photoinsensitive variety, dwarf and bushy with height of 40-50 cm bearing early flowering (30-35 daysafter sowing)" [13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. "First harvesting done at 40-45 days after sowing.…”