Vol. 12, Issue 5 (2023)

Author(s):
Pravina P. Solanki, JR Vadodaria, Pavan K. Patel and JV Mandaliya

Abstract:
A field experiment, “Effect of date of sowing and row spacing on growth, yield and quality of summer vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)” was carried out during the summer season of 2020 at College Farm, College of Horticulture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Jagudan, Gujarat. The cowpea variety local was used for this experiment. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. Experiment was comprised of two factors viz., date of sowing as main plot with four date 10^th February (d₁), 20^th February (d₂), 1^st March (d₃) and 10^th March (d₄) and in sub plot with three row spacing 30 cm × 30 cm (s₁), 45 cm × 30 cm (s₂) and 60 cm × 30 cm (s₃). The result revealed that 20^th February (d₂) recorded maximum plant height (58.91 cm) at 60 DAS, plant spread (E-W & N-S) (38.61 cm & 51.03 cm, respectively) at 60 DAS, number of branches per plant (6.17) at 60 DAS, number of cluster per plant (34.08), number of pickings (8.04), yield per plant (120.52 g), yield per plot (3.94 kg) and yield per hectare (80.82 q). Minimum days taken for initiation of flowering (54.97) and for first picking after sowing (64.91) were recorded with treatment d₄ (10^th March). Whereas, maximum days (113.29) taken for last picking after sowing was recorded with treatment d₁ (10^th February). Among the row spacings, 45 cm × 30 cm (s₂) recorded maximum plant height (53.91 cm) at 60 DAS, yield per plot (4.03 kg) and yield per hectare (83.00 q). While, maximum plant spread (E-W & N-S) (35.10 cm & 46.62 cm, respectively), number of branches per plant (5.42) at 60 DAS, number of cluster per plant (34.62) and yield per plant (116.47 g) were noted with treatment of 60 cm × 30 cm spacing (s₃).Quality parameters viz., pod length (cm), crude protein content (%), fibre content (%) and chlorophyll content a, b and total (mg/100 g) were found non-significant with different treatments. With respect to economics in date of sowing maximum gross income (₹ 161640), net income (₹ 103103) and benefit cost ratio (2.76) recorded with 20^th February as well as in row spacing maximum gross income (₹ 166000), net income (₹ 108263) and benefit cost ratio (2.87) recorded with 45 cm × 30 cm.