Effect of Zinc Levels on Growth and Yield of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) Varieties

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at Crop Research Farm (CRF), Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P.) during Zaid season of 2022 on Cowpea crop. The treatments Consists of 3 levels of Zinc [20kg/ha, 0.6% and (10kg/ha + 0.3%)] and 3 different varieties (GOMTI, HIMANI-06, KASHI-KANCHAN) and a Control. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with 10 treatments replicated thrice. The application of Zinc (10kg/ha + 0.3%) + GOMTI variety recorded higher plant height (83.96 cm), more number of nodules per plant (9.20), maximum plant dry weight (12.55 g/plant), Crop growth rate (7.94 g/m2/day), Relative growth rate (0.037 g/g/day) and yield attributes namely Number of Pods per plant (14.44), Number of seeds per pod(18.55), Test weight(91.00 g), Seed yield (1.03 t/ha), Stover yield (5.33 t/ha) and Harvest index (16.12%) was found maximum in treatment 3 that is Zinc (10kg/ha + 0.3%) + GOMTI variety as compared to other treatment combinations. The maximum gross return (INR 112750.00/ha), net return (INR 74582.50/ha) and B:C ratio (1.95) is recorded in treatment 3 Zinc (10kg/ha + 0.3%) + GOMTI variety as well.