Evaluating the Effect of Fertilizers on Physiological Growth, Chemical, Bioactive Components and Secondary Metabolites in Vigna Unguiculata (L.)

The current study assessed the effect of different levels of poultry manure fertilizer (۱۰, ۳۰, ۶۰ and ۹۰ kg F/ha) and nitrogen fertilizer (۳۰, ۴۵, ۶۰ and ۹۰ kg N/ha) on the growth, yield, mineral composition, bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites in the legume crop Vigna unguiculata (L.). At the end of ۱۵ weeks, ۹۰ kg F/ha and ۴۵ kg N/ha enhanced the growth, yield, mineral composition, production of ascorbic acid, total phenolic and FRAP assay, this informed our decision for the selection of this treatments (۴۵kgN/ha, ۹۰kgF/ha and ۰kg/ha control) for further analyses of secondary metabolites. Poultry manure and nitrogen fertilizer improved the mineral compositions of cowpea leaves, and different accumulation trends were noted depending on different application levels, with poultry manure responding well. Thus, the application of organic poultry manure at ۹۰ kg F/ha for cowpea cultivation should potentially be recommended in the Mpumalanga Province.  

Keywords:

Cowpea , organic fertilizer , FRAP , Mpumalanga Province