Effect of Rhizobium inoculation and phosphorus application on protein and carbohydrate content of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) walp]

Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is an important legume crop with manifold uses. It is used as vegetable, pulse, green manuring and fodder crop in dry and semiarid zones of the world. In human nutrition cowpea green pods as a vegetable and dry seeds as pulse occupy an important position due to its richness in protein, vitamins and minerals. it is an excellent vegetable for, human consumption and is generally grown for its immature pods and nature seeds. Besides the whole plant provides fodder for animals and adds nitrogen when ploughed into soil. Bio-fertilizer technology does not require any nonrenewable source of energy and this would be such to minimize our dependence on fertilizer nitrogen, as the abundant quantities of di-nitrogen can easily be tapped for agricultural purposes through a number of symbiotic bacteria called as Rhizobium. These bacteria take-up free nitrogen from the air and convert it into nitrogenous compounds for the use of crop plants. The bacteria grow and multiply inside the nodules. These bacteria obtain carbohydrate and mineral food from the plant and nitrogen from the air to form nitrogenous compounds e.g., proteins, which then become available to the host