Influence of Bioinoculants on Growth and Yield of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) under Field Condition

Abstract

Background: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) an important and commonly grown kharif pulse crop in India for vegetable, grain, forage and green manuring. Considering the adverse effects of chemical fertilizers, bio-inoculants should be encouraged as natural nutrient source. Methods: Three indigenous bio-inoculants viz., Rhizobium sp., Bacillus megaterium and Glomus mosseae were evaluated in a field experiment which was conducted during kharif season 2020 to study the influence of bioinoculants on growth and yield of cowpea. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RCBD) with ten treatments replicated thrice. Result: The application of microbial consortia significantly influenced the number of pods bearing branches, number of nodules, fresh weight of nodules, chlorophyll content, plant nitrogen and phosphorus content and microbial activities in the cowpea rhizosphere. The present study concluded that combined application of bio-inoculants (Rhizobium, PSB, AM fungi) can save 25 per cent of recommended dose of fertilizer by sustaining the crop yield and improving the soil health.