HIGHER COWPEA (Vigna unguiculate L. Walp.) PRODUCTION: USING SOIL TYPE SERIES AND IMPROVE CULTIVARS

Study was conducted at Department of Soil Science Technology, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, during 2023 and 2024 cropping season to determine the influence of cultivars and different soil type on the growth and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculate). Four improved cowpea cultivars (JT89KQ 358-288, IT89KD-394 and IT97K-498-395 and IT97K-499-35) were obtained as a single batch from Agro-Permier store at Mokola Area, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, while the local cowpea cultivar (Danlla) was sourced from collaborated farmers at Ibarapa. Four improved cowpea cultivars and one local cultivar (Danlla) were cultivate on four different soil type series RSS1 (loamy sand), RSS2 (loamy fine sand), RSS3 (fine sand) and RSS4 (fine sand) on 6th of August 2023. The same experiment was repeated in the year 2024. The result showed that significant difference (P<0.005) existed among the improved varieties on growth characters measured. The percentage increase of grain yield of the improved cultivars JT89KQ 358-288, IT89KD-394 and IT97K-498-395 over local variety were 33.70%, 35.10% and 27.64% respectively. IT97K-499-35 and IT89KQ-288 cultivars performed best on RSS1 followed by RSS2 soil series. On the other hand, IT98KQ-288 performed optimally on RSS3 soil series. Based on the data from the study JT89KQ-288 Cultivars is recommended to be planted on sand loam or fine loam soil series by farmers in derived savanna agro-ecological zone at which the study station represents.