Vol. 11, Issue 4 (2022)

Author(s):
J. V. Mandaliya, K. D. Desai, C. R. Patel, B. R. Gondaliya and P. P. Solanki

Abstract:
An investigation was carried out on “Response of vegetable cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] to different biostimulants” was conducted at Vegetable Research Farm, Regional Horticultural Research Station, ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India during summer, 2020. The cowpea variety AVCP 1 was used for this experiment. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications and eight treatments viz., Control (T₁), Cow urine 6% (T₂), Novel Prime 2% (T₃), Panchagavya 3% (T₄), Jivamruth 3% (T₅), Vermiwash 10% (T₆), Seaweed extract 7.5% (T₇) and Seaweed extract 15% (T₈). Foliar application of biostimulants was performed at 15 days after sowing (DAS), 30 DAS and 45 DAS. Leaf area was affected profoundly and foliar application of treatment T₈ exhibited maximum leaf area (125.38 cm²) at final harvest. Treatment T₃ performed better and recorded maximum number of pods (3.22 plant^-1), number of clusters (35.07 plant^-1), average pod length at second and fourth picking (14.14 cm and 14.17 cm, respectively), pod yield (0.220 kg plant^-1), total pod yield (11.25 t ha^-1), marketable pod yield (10.52 t ha^-1), maximum chlorophyll content of leaf (1681.97 mg 100 g^-1) along with pod (114.28 mg 100 g^-1) at second picking. Same treatment also recorded maximum protein content (6.13%) of immature seeds, maximum total soluble solids (7.77 ^oBrix) and minimum crude fibre content (13.18%). At sixth picking, maximum chlorophyll content of leaf (1657.95 mg 100 g^-1) was obtained with T₈ treatment and that of pod (114.06 mg 100 g^-1) was obtained with T₄ treatment. The highest net profit with BCR value was obtained with T₃ treatment. Effect of different biostimulants on days to first and 50% flowering, plant height at 25 DAS, 50 DAS and 75 DAS, average pod weight at 2^nd and 4^th picking and moisture content were found non-significant.