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Nitrogen Nutrition of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). I. Effects of Applied Nitrogen and Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation on Growth and Seed Yield*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

R. J. Summerfield
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Plant Environment Laboratory, University of Reading, Shinfield, Reading
P. J. Dart
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Plant Environment Laboratory, University of Reading, Shinfield, Reading
P. A. Huxley
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Plant Environment Laboratory, University of Reading, Shinfield, Reading
A. R. J. Eaglesham
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Plant Environment Laboratory, University of Reading, Shinfield, Reading
F. R. Minchin
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Plant Environment Laboratory, University of Reading, Shinfield, Reading
J. M. Day
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Plant Environment Laboratory, University of Reading, Shinfield, Reading

Summary

Effectively nodulated cowpea plants, grown in pots without applied nitrogen, were vegetatively equal to non-nodulated plants supplied with 60 ppm N throughout growth (88 days) and produced significantly greater seed yields. Supplying non-nodulated plants with 120 or 240 ppm N improved seed yields (but not significantly) compared with plants completely dependent on symbiotic fixation. Nodulation promoted branching, and improved pod set and/or retention compared with plants relying on applied N.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

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References

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