Effect of phosphorus and zinc on plant growth and yield of vegetable cowpea

Abstract

The experiment comprising of five phosphorus levels viz.,
0, 40, 60, 80 and 100 kg/ha; and four zinc levels, i.e., 0, 5, 10
and 15 kg/ha was conducted at Research Farm, Department
of Vegetable Science, CCS HAU, Hisar to observe effects
on plant height, number of branches per plant, days to 50%
flowering, number of pods per plant, pod length, pod girth,
pod weight, seeds per pod, seed yield per plant, seed yield
per plot and seed yield per hectare. Plant height and number
of branches per plant increased with the increase in fertilizer
dose. The tallest plant at 45, 60 and at final harvest (39.10,
57.50 and 69.54 cm, respectively) and maximum number of
branches per plant (5.73) were recorded when the crop was
sown with the application of phosphorus 60 kg/ha and zinc
10 kg/ha. Flowering was delayed significantly with the
increase in phosphorus and zinc levels. The maximum
number of days to 50% flowering was taken by the crop
under phosphorus 60 kg/ha and zinc 10 kg/ha. The number
of pods per plant (14.23), number of seeds per pod (13.36),
pod weight (18.02), seed yield per plant (43.48), per plot
(3.13kg) and per hectare (21.74q/ha) were recorded maximum
when the crop was supplied with phosphorus 60 kg/ha and
zinc 10 kg/ha.