Response of cowpea (Vigna anguiculata [L.] walp) varieties following application of nitrogen fertilizers and inoculation
Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: Cowpea (Vigna anguiculata [L.] Walp) plays a significant role in contributing to food security and agricultural sustainability in less developed countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and several others in sub-Saharan Africa.However, in Ghana the yield of cowpea is among the lowest in the world.This situation is attributed to the exposure of soil to wind and water erosion there by depleting macro-nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium estimated 40-60 kg ha -1 per year, which is among the highest in Africa.To this end, field experiment was conducted to determine the growth and yield response of two cowpea varieties to application of nitrogen from organic and inorganic sources and rhizobia inoculant in semi deciduous forest vegetation zone of Ghana during the major rainy season of 2016.Poultry manure was applied as organic source, while urea was applied as inorganic source of nitrogen in single and combination of organic and inorganic.The experimental design used in the study was a 2×7 factorial arranged in RCBD with four replications.The maximum leaf area index (0.999), crop growth rate (11.89 g m -2 day -1 ) and grain yield (2005.50 kg ha -1 ) of cowpea varieties were obtained by combined application of poultry manure at the rate of 1 ton ha -1 and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of 10 kg N ha -1 .Therefore, the study revealed that combined application of poultry manure at the rate of 1 ton ha -1 and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of 10 kg N ha - 1 were significantly increased the growth, grain yield and yield components of cowpea varieties.
Authors: Abe Miheretu, Joseph Sarkodie- Addo
Institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W2977589893