Response of Different Phosphorus Levels on Growth and Yield of Different Vegetable Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] Under Semi-arid Conditions of Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is an important leguminous and self-pollinated crop, which is grown in arid and semi-arid regions. Most of legume crop is phosphorus loving crop so balanced use of fertilizers is an important aspect. A field experiment was conducted at the SKN College of Agriculture (SKNAU), Jobner (Jaipur), during Kharif - 2022, to study the response of different phosphorus levels and different varieties of vegetable cowpea on the growth and yield under semi-arid conditions of Rajasthan. Sixteen treatments were evaluated under a random block design (factorial) with three replications. The maximum growth and yield attributes, such as plant height (30.14 cm and 81.50 cm), number of branches per plant (15.90), leaf area (3019.01 cm2 and 7735.20 cm2), chlorophyll content (2.76 mg /g), green pod length (28.70 cm), number of green pods per plant (18.41), green pod weight (54.01 g), green pod yield per plant (99.71 g) and green pod yield per hectare (147.72 q) were recorded in phosphorus @ 40 kg/ha which were statically at par with phosphorus @ 60 kg/ha. In case of variety-Kashi Kanchan showed maximum plant height (29.45 cm and 80.93 cm), leaf area (3012.84 cm2 and 7706.56 cm2), chlorophyll content (2.63 mg /g), green pod length (31.38 cm), green pod weight (54.39 g), green pod yield per plant (105.33 g) and green pod yield per hectare (156.04 q) while maximum number of branches per plant (15.90), number of pods per plant (17.39) in variety RCV 07. The varieties Kashi Nidhi were statistically at par with each other to Kashi Kanchan.  The interaction effect of different phosphorus levels and varieties was also significant on green pod length, green pod yield per plant and green pod yield/ha. The combined effect of treatments, phosphorus 40 kg/ha with Kashi Kanchan was significantly improved values for average green pod length (36.51 cm), green pod yield per plant (113.96 g), green pod yield per plot (6.84 kg) and green pod yield per hectare (168.83 q) followed by treatment phosphorus 60 kg/ha with Kashi Kanchan and phosphorus 40 kg/ha with Kashi Nidhi.