Effect of organic manures on growth and yield of summer cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] under middle Gujarat conditions

An experiment was carried out on loamy sand soil of Bidi tobacco Research Station Farm, AAU, Anand to evaluate the effect of organic manures (farmyard manure, vermi-compost, poultry manure, neem cake and castor cake) on growth and green pod yield of cowpea during summer season of 2013–14 in randomized block design with four replication. Application of recommended dose of fertilizer 20-40-0 NPK kg ha-1recorded significantly higher green pod, stover yield and yield contributing characters viz., number of green pods plant⁻¹, number of seeds pod⁻¹ over different organic sources; However, application of 2t ha⁻¹ vermicompost was at par with RDF. The plant population per meter row length at 25 DAS and at final picking and number of branches plant⁻¹ and plant height at 30 DAS showed no significant difference between different treatments, but at 60 DAS and at final picking significantly higher plant height was observed due to use of RDF 20-40-0 NPK kg ha⁻¹.