Effects of sulphur and zinc on growth and productivity of summer cowpea under conditions of southern Odisha

Cowpea is a climate-smart crop that can be grown in various conditions, such as drought and sandy soils and it is one of the important grain legumes in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In legume crops like cowpea, N, P, K, sulphur and zinc play a crucial role in plant metabolism. Sulphur is essential for synthesizing amino acids and proteins, bolstering plant defence mechanisms against environmental stresses such as drought and heat. Zinc is crucial for various plant physiological functions, including enzyme activation and protein synthesis. Considering the above facts, the present study was carried out at the Post Graduate Research Farm, M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Odisha during the summer of 2023-24. The Experiment was laid out in factorial RBD with 12 treatment combinations consisting of 4 sulphur doses (control, 10 kg, 20 kg and 30 kg) and 3 levels of zinc foliar application (0.1 %, 0.2% and 0.3%) at 30 and 50 DAS. The result revealed that the application of 30 kg/ha sulphur recorded the highest growth parameters, yield attributes and yield. However, the application of zinc 0.3% recorded the highest growth parameters, yield components and yield. From the study, it may be concluded that the application of sulphur at the rate of 30 kg/ha and foliar zinc application 0.3% at 30 and 50 DAS can be applied for obtaining higher productivity of cowpea during summer.