Effect of nitrogen starter dose and phosphorus fertilizer application on growth, yield characters and grain crude protein content of three varieties of cowpea in anyigba, kogi state, Nigeria

Abstract

Anyigba Soils (Lat 7029’ and Long 7011’E) in Kogi State is deficient in Nitrogen and Phosphorus which retard growth and yield of cowpea crop. A field experiment was therefore conducted during the rainy seasons of years 2018 and 2019 respectively, at the student Research and Demonstration Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Kogi State University, Anyigba. The aim of the trial was to evaluate the influence of Nitrogen-fertilizer-starter dose and phosphorus on growth, yield attributes, final Grain yield and Grain Crude Protein content of three varieties of cowpea in Anyigba. The N-fertilizer rates were – 0, 10 and 20kg N/ha applied as urea, while the P rates were 0, 37.5 and 75.0 Kg P2O5/ha as single super phosphate (26.0% P2O5). Factorial experiment was used and treatments were arranged and laid out in Split Plot Design (SPD) and replicated three times. The results indicated that for both years, Nitrogen and Phosphorus application resulted in significant (P 0.05) influence on the character (nodule) throughout the sampling periods and for both years. The highest grain yield of 0.93tonha-1 was obtained with application of 10 kg N and 37.5 Kg P2O5/ha. Application of 10.0 Kg N ha-1 and 37.5 Kg P2O5 ha-1 of Phosphorus significantly (P<0.05) yielded a Crude Protein Content of 20.83% and 23.31% over the control plot which gave 20.54% and 19.17% Crude Protein respectively in 2018 trials. This trend was equally maintained in 2019 trials.