Marketable Pod Yield of Vegetable Cowpea () as Influenced by Organic Manures Fermented with EM Solution

ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted at a net house in the Eastern region of Sri Lanka to study the influence of organic manures with EM (effective microorganisms) on marketable yield of vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) cv BS1. The treatments included different fertilizer applications from three sources of animal manures viz: cattle, goat and poultry manures separately mixed with rice bran and paddy husk then fermented with EM solution (EM-Bokashi fertilizers) while unfertilized plot and application of recommended chemical fertilizer both served as first and second controls respectively. Each EM-Bokashi fertilizer was applied as basal and top dressing applications at rate of 300 g/m² which was applied 14 days before planting and 30 days after planting respectively. The results revealed that EM-Bokashi significantly (p<0.05) increased the number of nodules, length and number of marketable (green) pods, dry weight of plant parts, marketable pod yield and harvest index compared to chemical and non-fertilizer applications. Plants fertilized with goat manure EM-Bokashi had highest number of nodules (31), fresh (174.3 g) and dry (22.8 g) weights of marketable pods per plant and harvest index (70.2%) compared to those with cattle or poultry manure EM-Bokashi. In summary, application of organic manures fermented with EM solution especially goat manure EM-Bokashi fertilizer was more effective in improving growth and marketable pod yield of vegetable cowpea compared to chemical fertilizer and unfertilized plots in vegetable cowpea cultivation.

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