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Effects of phosphorus nutrition on growth, fruit abscission and seed yield of the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)
Author(s) -
Okelana M. A. O.,
Adedipe N. O.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
zeitschrift für pflanzenernährung und bodenkunde
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 0044-3263
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.19811440604
Subject(s) - vigna , dry matter , abscission , phosphorus , biology , yield (engineering) , agronomy , cultivar , dry weight , horticulture , chemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , metallurgy
In pot experiments, cowpea cultivars, „Adzuki”, „Ife Brown” and „New Era”, were raised in soil fertilized with phosphorus at 0, 20, 40 and 80 kg/ha levels. Seed yield was enhanced in „Adzuki” mainly by the maintenance of functional pods, that ist by enhancement of fertility (defined as percent of floral buds that developed into mature functional, seed‐bearing pods). In „New Era”, seed yield increase was due more to increased diversion of dry matter into the seed than by increased fertility. Harvest index (defined as the proportion of whole plant dry weight constituted by seed dry weight) was significantly enhanced more in „New Era” than in „Adzuki”. A P dressing equivalent to 40kg P/ha proved the nearest‐optimal P level for seed production in „New Era”. Corresponding critical P level for „Adzuki” and „Ife Brown” were not specifically at any of the P regimes studied.