NODULATION AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE IN GRAIN COWPEA (Vigna unguiculata (L.) WALP) UNDER VARYING LEVELS OF PHOSPHORUS, POTASSIUM AND ZINC

V. ANJALY¹*, SHEEBA REBECCA ISAAC^2
1Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram 695 522, India
²Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram 695 522, India
* Corresponding Author : anjalyvijay93@gmail.com

Received : 18-08-2018     Accepted : 26-08-2018     Published : 30-09-2018
Volume : 10     Issue : 18       Pages : 7241 - 7245
Int J Agr Sci 10.18 (2018):7241-7245

Keywords : Phosphorus, Zinc, Nodulation
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Author thankful to College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram 695 522, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, 680656, Kerala India
Author Contribution : All author equally contributed

A field experiment was conducted in a phosphorus rich soil in the southern district of Kerala to assess the effect of varying levels of P, K and Zn on the nodulation and nutrient uptake in grain cowpea during January to March 2018. The treatments included two levels of P, three levels of Zn and two levels of K laid out in factorial RBD with three replications. The results revealed significantly superior nodule weights for the highest doses of P, K and Zn for main and interaction effects. Nutrient uptake varied and the highest P, K and foliar Zn recorded significantly higher uptake values of P, K and Zn while N uptake was maximum for foliar Zn and no P application. Zn x K recorded a positive interaction for nutrient uptake while P x Zn showed negative interaction in K uptake. Nutrient (N, P, Zn) uptake were higher in grain cowpea grown in high phosphorus soils through foliar application of Zn as ZnSO4 @ 0.025% (at branching and flowering) along with 10 kg K2O ha-1.

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