Effect of soil salinity, phosphorus and biofertilizers on physical properties of soil, yield attributes and yield of cowpea [ Vigna unguiculata (L.) Wilczek]

A pot experiment was conducted in 2015 at S.K.N. College of Agriculture, Jobner during kharif season using cowpea as a test crop to investigate the effect of phosphorus management in cowpea grown on saline soils. Three levels each of saline soils (EC 1, 4.0 and 6.0 dS/m), phosphorus sources (SSP, DAP and PROM), and biofertilizers (control, PSB and PSB + VAM), were tested in completely randomized design with three replications. The results indicated that application of soil salinity having EC 1dS/m recorded the maximum and significantly higher total and effective nodules, nodule index, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, grain yield, straw yield and root mass of cowpea over rest of the treatments. Result further indicate that application of phosphorus source PROM recorded the maximum and significantly higher total and effective nodules, nodule index, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, grain yield, straw yield and root mass of cowpea over rest of the treatments. However dual inoculation with PSB + VAM recorded the maximum and significantly higher total and effective nodules, nodule index, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, grain yield, straw yield and root mass of cowpea over rest of the treatments but in case of nodule index remained at par with PSB. However, application the test weight and harvest index unchanged under different treatment levels.