RESPONSE OF COWPEA (VIGNA UNGUICULATA L.) TO SIMULATED LEAF HERBIVORY AND RATE OF APPLICATION OF NPK 15:15:15 IN THE GUINEA SAVANNAH AGROECOLOGY OF GHANA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47740/95.UDSIJD6iAbstract
Field studies were conducted at the University for Development Studies during the 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons to determine the combined effects of NPK 15:15:15 and experimental defoliation on growth and yield of cowpea. Seeds of cowpea cultivar ‘Songotra’ were planted and fertilized with 15, 20 or 25 kg/ha of NPK 15:15:15 three weeks after planting (WAP). At 4 WAP, the plants were subjected to 50, 75 or 100% defoliation. The unfertilized (0 kg/ha NPK 15:15:15), or undefoliated plants (0% defoliation) served as control treatments. Treatment combinations were replicated four times in randomized complete block design. Results indicated that plants from the 50% defoliation regime that were fertilized with 20 or 25 kg/ha of the fertilizer had the best performance in terms of growth and total grain yield. Thus in the Guinea Savannah agroecology of Ghana, 50% defoliation of cowpea during cultivation is not detrimental to growth and grain production, provided nutrients equivalent to 20 - 25 kg/ha of NPK 15:15:15 can be applied as fertilizer to the crop 3 WAP.
Keywords: Cowpea, Defoliation, Simulated leaf herbivory, NPK 15:15:15 application, Growth and yield.
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