Cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i> (L) Walp.) Performance and yield as influenced by soil types and phosphorus fertilizer in two alfisols at Ado-Ekiti, south-West, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study evaluated the influence of phosphorus (P) application on the growth and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L) on two soil types in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The sites were Teaching and Research Farm, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, on a soil classified as Iwo series and a farm at Ikere-Ekiti on a soil derived from charnockite classified as Egbeda Series. The treatments consisted of 0, 20, 40 and 60 kgP ha-1 arranged in randomized complete block design with three replicates. The results indicated that P application significantly influenced growth of cowpea with maximum vine length, number of branches, number of leaves, number of nodules and dry matter yield of 97.4cm, 15.4, 26, 27.5, 32.4g plant-1 respectively. Application of 40kg P. ha-1 gave significantly (P<0.05) highest grain yield of 1583kg ha-1 while Ado-Ekiti soil seems to be the most suitable for cowpea production.

Keyword: phosphorus, soil types, cowpea and grain yield.