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Research Article

Legume Research, volume 43 issue 2 (april 2020) : 229-234

Performance of Cowpea [Vigna Unguiculata (L.) Walp] Under Organic Production System in Southern Dry Zone of Karnataka

S.B. Yogananda1,*, P. Thimmegowda2, G.K. Shruthi1
1Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, V. C. Farm, Mandya-571 405, Karnataka, India.
2Zonal Agricultural Research Station, V. C. Farm, University of Agricultural Sciences, Mandya-571 405, Karnataka, India.

  • Submitted29-05-2019|

  • Accepted04-09-2019|

  • First Online 09-11-2019|

  • doi 10.18805/LR-4175

Cite article:- Yogananda S.B., Thimmegowda P., Shruthi G.K. (2019). Performance of Cowpea [Vigna Unguiculata (L.) Walp] Under Organic Production System in Southern Dry Zone of Karnataka . Legume Research. 43(2): 229-234. doi: 10.18805/LR-4175.

ABSTRACT

A field experiment was carried out during kharif  2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, V. C. Farm, Mandya to study the performance of cowpea under organic production system in red sandy loam soil. The results revealed that application of 100% N equivalent compost + recommended FYM (10 t/ha) + beejamrutha (seed treatment) + jeevamrutha (500 liter/ha) recorded significantly higher grain yield during all the years of experimentation (2056, 1987, 2108 and 2365 kg/ha, respectively) and also in their pooled data (grain yield 2129 kg/ha). This increased yield was attributed to more availability of nitrogen (289.5 kg/ha), phosphorus (40.5 kg/ha) and potassium (182.3 kg/ha) in the soil compared to other treatments. The benefit: cost ratio was higher with application of 100% N equivalent compost + jeevamrutha + beejamrutha (2.81). Soil chemical properties, viz. soil pH, organic carbon content and electric conductivity, were not influenced significantly by application of organic manures. However, there was an improvement in the soil chemical properties (289.5, 40.5 and 182.3 N, P2O5 and K2O kg/ha, respectively) compared to initial soil data (229, 19.2 and 135 NPK kg/ha). 

INTRODUCTION

Modern agriculture based on chemicals is not sustainable because of many problems such as loss of soil productivity from excessive erosion and associated plant nutrient losses, surface and ground water pollution from pesticides, fertilizers and sediments impending shortages of non-renewable resources and low farm income from high production costs. As a result, there is increasing awareness of the need for alternative agricultural systems. Although, chemical fertilizers are playing a crucial role to meet the nutrient requirement of the crop, persistent nutrient depletion is posing a greater threat to sustainable agriculture. Therefore, there is an urgent need to reduce the usage of chemical fertilizers and inturn to increase the usage of organics. Use of organic manures alone or in combination with chemical fertilizers, helps in improving physico-chemical properties of the soil and improves the efficient utilization of applied fertilizers resulted in higher seed yield and quality. Organic manures viz. compost, FYM, vermicompost, liquid organic manures viz. Jeevamrutha and help in the improvement of soil structure, aeration and water holding capacity of soil. Further, it stimulates the activity of microorganisms that makes the plant to get the macro and micro-nutrients through enhanced biological processes, increase nutrient solubility, alter soil salinity, sodicity and pH (Alabadan et al., 2009).
      
Cow pea (Vigna unguiculata) is most important among pulse crops. It is popularly called as vegetable meat as it plays an important role in Indian diet on account of high per cent of protein (23.14%) which is double than that of cereals. Traditionally in Karnataka especially in dry land area farmers or growing cowpea under natural farming without applying any synthetic fertilizers. But, the yield levels are too low. In recent years there was a growing demand for organic cowpea because of its health benefits. But, the standardization of nutrient management practices for organic cowpea production have not done so for. Keeping these facts in view, field study was planned with an objective to study the performance of cowpea under organic production system. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, V. C. Farm, Mandya (12° 34.3’N latitude, 76° 49.8’E longitude and at an elevation of 697 m above mean sea level. Soil of the experimental site was red sandy loam classified as Alfisols. Organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of the soil were medium. The rainfall received during the crop growth period was 388 mm and well distributed. The maximum and minimum temperature prevailed during crop growth period were within the crop cordial limits. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with organic manures, beejamrutha and jeevamrutha, respectively. Thus, the 11 treatment combinations were replicated thrice and tried in RCBD.
 
Beejamrutha and Jeevamrutha formulations - preparation and application
 
The liquid organic formulations beejamrutha and jeevamrutha were prepared by following procedures given by Palekar (2006).
 
Beejamrutha
 
Beejamrutha was prepared by soaking 5 Kg of local cow dung in 20 liters of water and 50 g of lime in one liter water overnight. Next day morning squeeze cow dung into the lime soaked water and 10 liters of local cow urine was added to this by stirring thoroughly and adding lime solution and mix well.
 
Jeevamrutha
 
Jeevamrutha was prepared by mixing 10 kg of cow dung, 10 liter of cow urine, 2 kg of local jaggery, 2 kg of pigeon pea flour and hand full of soil collected from farm. All these were put in 200 liter capacity plastic drum and mixed thoroughly and volume was made up to 200 liters. The mixture was stirred well in clock wise direction and kept in shade covered with wet jute bag. The solution was regularly stirred clockwise in the morning, afternoon and in the evening continuously for 10 days and it was used for soil application. Jeevamrutha was applied when the soil was wet near the root zone of the crop as per the treatments.
         
The seeds were soaked with beejamrutha over night and then dried under shade before sowing. The manures were supplied in the form of FYM, compost (prepared by using cattle shed waste) and vermicompost (prepared by using cattle shed waste and crop residues). The nutrient content of FYM was 0.5% N, 0.2% P and 0.5% K, compost was 0.58% N, 0.32% P and 0.52% K and vermicompost was 1.13% N, 0.678% P and 1.13% K. The recommended dose of the FYM and compost were applied as basal dose 20 days before sowing. After 30 days after sowing, vermicompost was applied as top dress @ 1250kg/ha and Jeevamrutha was sprayed after 30 days after sowing @ 500 liters/ha. Standard package of practices were adopted. Growth, yield parameters and yield were measured and estimated using standard procedures.
         
Short duration (95 – 100 days) variety of Cowpea - KBC – 2 was used for the field experiment. Cowpea crop was sown with seed rate of 30 kg ha-1and seeds were sown at spacing of 45 cm and seed to seed spacing of 15 cm (45 cm X 15 cm). Irrigation was provided at 10-15 days interval depending on the stage of crop and soil condition. Necessary aftercare operations were followed as per the recommendations. No major pest and disease incidences were noticed during crop growth. The five plants were selected randomly in net plot area and used for taking observations on growth and yield parameters at regular intervals. Market price of inputs prevailing at the time of their use was considered for working out of cost of cultivation. The gross return was calculated on the basis of market price of the produce at the time when the produce was ready for sale. Net returns (Rs. ha-1) were calculated by deducting the cost of cultivation from the gross income. Experimental data collected was subjected to statistical analysis by adopting Fisher’s method of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) as outlined by Gomez and Gomez (1984). Critical Difference (CD) values were calculated whenever the ‘F’ test was found significant at 5 per cent level.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Application of different levels of organic manures in combination with beejamrutha and jeevamrutha has recorded significantly higher growth parameters. Application of 100% N equivalent compost + recommended FYM + Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha recorded higher plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, leaf area and leaf area index (74.7 cm, 10.1, 27.48, 1210.7 cm2 and 2.69, respectively in their pooled data) compared to other organic treatments (Table 1 and 2).
 

Table 1: Growth attributes of cowpea as impact on organic practices under different source of nutrients.


 

Table 2: Leaf area (cm2 plant-1), Leaf area Index and No. of pods plant-1 of cowpea as impact on organic practices under different source of nutrients.


         
This increase in plant height and number of branches per plant may be due to higher dry matter production and its distribution to vegetative part and these higher growth parameters was mainly attributed to higher N availability throughout the crop growth period because of slow decomposition of organic matter and higher rhizobium nodules in the root. The similar result reported in increase in soybean growth parameters due to application of organics was reported by Jaybhay et al., (2015). Jeevamrutha application might also helps in solubilisation of nutrients in soil and absorption of nutrients and moisture in the same line as reported by Jidhu Vaishnavi and Jayakumar (2016), Yogananda et al., (2015) and Siddappa et al., (2016).
         
In the present investigation, application of 100% N equivalent compost + recommended FYM + Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha recorded significantly higher grain yield (2129 kg ha-1 in their pooled data) with an increase in yield of 30.29 percent over other organic treatments. Similarly, significantly higher haulm yield (8611 kg ha-1 in their pooled data) was also recorded with 100% N equivalent compost + recommended FYM + Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha with an increase of 37.61 per cent over other organic treatments.
         
Significantly higher grain yield recorded with application of 100% N equivalent compost + recommended FYM + Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha was due to better yield attributing characters like number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and test weight (27.5, 15.30 and 11.77 g, respectively in their pooled data) (Table 2 and 3). Increased yield attributes might be due to beneficial effect of jeevamrutha which has reflected in the form of higher plant height (74.7cm) with more number of branches per plant (10.1) and more number of leaves per plant (27.48) (Table 1) and finally more assimilating area for food production.
 

Table 3: Number of seeds plant-1, 100 seed weight (g) and Haulm yield (Kg ha-1) of cowpea as impact on organic practices under different source of nutrients.


 
         
In the present study, the increase in grain yield and haulm yield of cowpea due to application of 100% N equivalent compost + recommended FYM + Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha could be due to better availability of nutrients throughout the crop growth which might be the result of improved microbial activity in the soil. These findings are in accordance with Kasbe et al., (2009) and Dekhane et al., (2011) where in, it is reported that higher nutrient status of Jeevamrutha formulation resulted in profused growth in the form of higher dry matter accumulation and yield parameters. Whenever liquid manures are applied at regular intervals (2 to 3 times), they act as a stimulus in the plant system and in turn increase the production of growth regulators in the cell system and growth hormones which in turn might have enhanced the soil biomass, there by sustaining the availability and uptake of applied as well as native soil nutrients which ultimately have resulted in better growth and yield of crops. These findings are in conformity with the results of Sharma and Thomas, (2010); Reshma et al., (2018).
         
Improvement in yield and yield attributes might be due to stimulation in root growth by organic nutrients as well better absorption of water and nutrients due to soil application of Jeevamrutha which further also supported the synergistic and complementary effect of Jeevamrutha after fermentation which favors the higher yield. These findings were in line with those reported by Reshma et al., (2018), Avudaithai et al., (2010) and Kumar et al., (2011).
         
Higher net returns was worked out with 100% N equivalent compost + recommended FYM + Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha @ 500 liter/ha (Rs. 63,225) followed by 100% N equivalent compost + beejamrutha + jeevamrutha @ 500 liter/ha (Rs. 62,525). The higher net return was mainly due to higher grain yield and haulm yield of cowpea in addition to lower cost of cultivation. The lower net returns was recorded under 75% N equivalent compost (Rs. 41,925) (Table 4) which was mainly due to lower grain yield. While, the highest cost of production was recorded in application of 100% N equivalent compost + FYM @ 10 t/ha + beejamrutha + jeevamrutha @ 500 liter/ha (Rs. 43,225). Hence, even though this treatment recorded highest seed yield and net returns but recorded lower B:C ratio (2.46) due to higher cost of cultivation. These results were in line with McBride and Catherine Greene (2009).
 

Table 4: Grain yield and Economics of cowpea as impact on organic practices under different source of nutrients.


         
The analysis of soil physico-chemical properties viz. pH, EC and per cent OC were not influenced significantly at the end of the fourth crop cycle (Table 5). However, these parameters were enhanced greatly as compared to initial soil test values. In the present investigation, there was a significant difference among the different organic sources of nutrient with respect to soil available major nutrients. Application of 100% N equivalent compost + FYM 10 t/ha + Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha registered significantly higher amount of soil available nutrients (289.3, 40.5 and 182.6 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha, respectively) as compared to other. However, it was at par with application of 125% N equivalent compost + Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha (285.6, 35.6 and 170.8 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha, respectively).This was due to build up of more amount of organic carbon in the soil and which in turn enhanced the nutrient supplying capacity of the soil due to build up of more and more soil micro-organisms. Organic manures were indirectly improving the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils reported by Palaniappa and Siddeswaran (1994) and Neha chaudhary et al., (2016).
 

Table 5: Impact of organic manures on soil chemical properties after the harvest of fourth crop.


         
The uptake of major nutrients were significantly higher in application of 100% N equivalent compost + FYM @ 10 t/ha + beejamrutha + jeevamrutha @ 500 liter/ha (143.4, 26.3 and 97.4 kg NPK/ha) as compared to other treatments. However, it was on par with 125% N equivalent compost + beejamrutha + jeevamrutha @ 500 liter/ha (142.4, 25.9 and 92.9 kg NPK/ha) and 100% N equivalent compost + beejamrutha + jeevamrutha @ 500 liter/ha (136.7, 24.5 and 90.4 kg NPK/ha). These results are in line with earlier findings of Kiran et al., (2015), Arun kumar et al., (2014) and Neha chaudhary et al., (2016).
         
Thus, combined application of different levels of organic manures, jeevamrutha and beejamrutha resulted in better growth and yield attributes resulting into 30.29 per cent increased grain yield in cowpea. Organic manures and liquid organic formulations can effectively and efficiently be used to get higher grain yield in cowpea. Hence, this study has shown the advantages with organic manures and organic liquid formulations and thus they can be exploited extensively in crop production.

CONCLUSION

Combined application of organic manures, jeevamrutha and beejamrutha @ 100% N equivalent compost + FYM @ 10 t/ha + beejamrutha + jeevamrutha @ 500 liter/ha resulted in better growth attributes and contributed for improved fertility status of soil in terms of soil available N, P2O5 and K2O 289.5, 40.5 and 182.3 kg/ha, respectively. It has resulted in 30.29 percent increased grain yield over application of 75% N equivalent compost.

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