The effect of planting density on yield and yield components of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

Subject Areas : Journal of Plant Ecophysiology

M. Rezaeei ¹ , F. Bazafshan ² , K. Ordokhani ³

1 - دانشجوی کارشناسی ارشد دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد فیروزآباد
2 - عضو هیئت علمی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد فیروزآباد
3 - عضو هیئت علمی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد فیروزآباد

Received: 2014-06-06 Accepted : 2014-06-06 Published : 2012-01-01

Keywords:

Abstract :

To determine the effect of planting density on yield and yield components of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.), an experiment was conducted in Ghir - Karzin, in 2011-2012. This research was done in a factorial experiment in RCBD. Factors included 4 levels of row spacing (20, 30, 40 and 50 cm) and 3 plant spacings (5, 10 and 15 cm). Results showed that by increasing the distance between rows from 20 to 50 cm height and biological yield decreased. But increasing the distance between the rows, increased the  number of seeds per pod, pods per plant 1000-grain weight, number of branches, harvest index and grain yield. Increasing the distance of rows on plants from 5 to 15 cm decreased height, harvest index and grain yield, but increased the number of branches, number of seeds per pod, number of pods per plant and 1000-grain weight. The interaction of row spacing and plant row was not significant in any of the characters. Finally, it seems that to achieve a higher performance we should increase the distance between rows and decrease the distance between the plants on rows.