Yield and nutrient uptake of summer cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) as influenced by seed priming with different plant geometry and nutrient management

A field experiment was conducted on loamy sand soil of Agronomy Instructional Farm, Chimanbhai Patel College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar during summer 2016 to study the effect of seed priming on summer cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) under different plant geometry and nutrient management. Sixteen treatment combinations comprising two spacings (45 x 15 and 45 x 30 cm) with or without seed priming and four nutrient management viz., 100% RDF through fertilizer, 50% RDF through fertilizer+50% RDF through FYM, 50% RDF through fertilizer+50% RDF through vermicompost and 50% RDF through fertilizer+50% RDF through castor cake were evaluated in factorial randomized block design replicating three times. The results revealed that significantly higher number of pods per plant, pod length, number of seeds per pod and dry weight of root nodules per plant were found with wider spacing of 45 × 30 cm with seed priming. Significantly higher seed (1067 kg/ha) and stover (2133 kg/ha) yields of summer cowpea were produced when the crop was sown at 45 × 15 cm spacing with seed priming. Maximum N and P uptake was noted with 45 x 15 cm spacing with seed priming. Whereas available N, P2O5 and K2O status in soil was non-significant under different spacings with or without seed priming. With regards to nutrient management, application of 50% RDF through fertilizer+50% RDF through castor cake recorded higher plant height, pod length, number of seeds/pod, number of pods/plant and dry weight of root nodules and this was reflected in marked effect in increasing seed (1067 kg/ha) and stover (2144 kg/ha) yield. Significant response in N and P uptake was observed with the application of 50% RDF through fertilizer+50% RDF through castor cake. While higher value of available of N, P2O5 and K2O status was noted with an application of 50% RDF through fertilizer+50% RDF through FYM.