Effect of Magnetized Irrigation Water on Germination and Yield of IAR-48 Cowpea Cultivar
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Date
2022-09
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AgricEngInt: CIGR Journal
Abstract
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a leguminous crop that is grown in some parts of Nigeria that is needed by man and livestock for plant protein.The cultivation of cowpea in the country is normally having problems with diseases and low yield.This study was conducted to study whether the magnetized irrigation water could promote germination and yield of cowpea. Two magnetic flux densities of 1127.4 G (T1) and 1071.5 G (T2) were applied to treat irrigation water while there was a control treatment (Tc) without magnetization. The magnetic fields were generated from permanent magnets produced by neodymium and round-bar magnets within the treatment chambers.The cowpea seeds (IAR-48 cultivar) were planted in buckets under a transparent garden shed. A randomized complete block design experiment was used in this study and each of the three treatments was replicated five times.The results indicated that cowpea plants irrigated with magnetized water had better germination indices, plant height, stem diameters and yields than those of control. The germination of cowpea plants with T1, T2 and Tc 6 days-after- planting (DAP) were 16, 13 and 9 seedlings, respectively, while plant heights at 65 DAP were 66.3 cm, 64.0 cm and 56.4 cm, and the stem diameters were 0.803 cm, 0.801 cm and 0.630 cm, respectively.Mean cowpea yields harvested for T1, T2 and Tc were 13.40±0.7483 g, 9.540±0.5192 g and 4.766±2.3659 g, respectively.The cowpea yield for plants treated with magnetized water increased by 50% - 64% compared to the yields obtained from control.
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Citation
Adebayo, K.R., J.K. Adewumi, O.J. Adeosun, and O.S. Awokola. 2022. Effect of magnetized irrigation water on germination and yield of IAR-48 cowpea cultivar. Agricultural Engineering International: CIGR Journal, 24(3): 35-44.