Effect of Placement and Foliar Application of Urea, KCl & Zn (Supplementary Nourishment) on Growth and Yield of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) under Guava (Psidium guajava L.) based Agri-horti System
Sonu Dey *
Department of Agronomy, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, India.
Sant Prasad
Department of Agronomy, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, India.
A. R. Chichaghare
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To investigate the effect of the placement and foliar application of Urea, KCl & Zinc on growth and yield of cowpea under guava based agri-horti system in Vindhyan region, India.
Study Design: RBD with nine treatments and three replications.
Place and Duration of Study: Agricultural Research Farm, Barkachha, Mirzapur (UP), India during kharif season (June-Oct) of 2017.
Methodology: This experiment consisted nine different treatments viz; Control (T1), 2% Urea spray (T2), 30 kg KCl ha-1 (T3), 2% KCl spray (T4), 2% Urea spray + 2% KCl spray (T5), 5 kg Zn ha-1 (T6), 2% Urea spray + 5 kg Zn ha-1 (T7), 30 kg KCl ha-1+ 5 kg Zn ha-1 (T8), 2% Urea spray + 2% KCl spray + 1.5% Zn spray (T9). Various growth parameter, yield attributes, N, P, K and nutrients contents were recorded and compared.
Results: Significantly higher growth parameters like plant height-1, no of branches plant-1, fresh weight-1 and dry weight-1, yield attributes like number of seeds pod-1, pod length, pod yield plant-1, green pod yield were recorded in 2% Urea spray + 2% KCl spray + 1.5% Zn spray (T9). Maximum N, K and protein content in straw and seed also observed in T9.
Conclusion: foliar spray of 2% Urea + 2% KCl spray + 1.5% Zn spray was best method for supplementary nourishment of cowpea under guava based Agri-horti system. The experiment should be reported for one to two seasons more in order to reach final conclusion.
Keywords: Cowpea, foliar application, agri-horti system, supplementary nourishment, foliar spraying and fertilizer placement.