CRESCIMENTO E PRODUTIVIDADE DE FEIJÃO-CAUPÍ (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) CULTIVADO EM UM NEOSSOLO REGOLÍTICO SUBMETIDO A MANEJO AGROECOLÓGICO

Abstract

The productivity of cowpea in the Northeastern Semi-arid region is low due to water deficiency, as well as lack of nutrients in the soil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and production parameters of cowpea under different fertilization sources in two consecutive years in the semi-arid region of Paraiba State. The experimental model was a 4 x 6 factorial, with four treatments (control, organic compost, rock powder and mixed) and six varieties of cowpea, three improved (Nova Era, Pajeú, Guaribas) and three creole from the farmers (Sedinha, Corujinha, Costela de Vaca), with 3 replicates. The experiment was developed in the municipality of Esperança - PB in a Regosol. The growth parameters were evaluated: plant height, leaf number and stem diameter, and the production parameters: number of pods per plant, grain yield and dry matter yield. The data were submitted to analysis of variance and the means were compared by the Tukey test (p <0.05). In the second year, the Corujinha (CO) variety presented the highest height (19 cm), and the rock powder provided the highest value (19.2 cm). The Costela de Vaca variety was the one that answered the most regarding the number of leaves (17.5). The values of stem diameter in the first year were higher in the variety of Costela de Vaca (6.82 mm), and among the treatments, the mix provided larger stem diameter in the first year (6.76 mm). In the productivity parameters, the dry matter in the first year of cultivation was higher under the application of organic compound (7.51). Grain production was higher in the Costela de Vaca variety (244 kg ha-1), and dry matter reached higher values in the second year of cultivation (150 kg ha-1). It was concluded that the mixed treatment provided the greatest responses to the growth variables, and that the creole varieties were the ones that best answered in all studied variables.