Cowpea yield under salt stress and use of biofertilizers and Trichoderma harzianum

Produtividade do feijão-caupi sob estresse salino e uso de biofertilizantes e Trichoderma harzianum

ABSTRACT

The use of biofertilizers associated with the use of Trichoderma harzianum applied to the soil can mitigate salt stress and maximize cowpea yield. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the use of brackish water and biofertilizers on the yield of the cowpea crop in soil with and without application of T. harzianum. The experiment was carried out between October and December 2022 in the field, in the experimental area of Piroás Farm, belonging to the University for International Integration of Afro- Brazilian Lusophony, in Redenção, Ceará, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a split-split-plot scheme, with four replicates, with two electrical conductivities of irrigation water (0.8 and 4.0 dS m^-1) in the plots, two types of biofertilizers of animal origin (cattle and poultry) in the subplots, and with and without application of T. harzianum in the sub-subplots. At 90 days after sowing, the dry pods were harvested and the following variables were evaluated: number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod, pod mass, mass of 100 grains, pod length and yield. The poultry biofertilizer partially mitigated the deleterious effects of salinity and promoted a greater number, length and mass of pods and yield of the cowpea crop. Salt stress had a negative effect, while poultry biofertilizer was more efficient for the mass of 100 grains. Application of T. harzianum mitigated salt stress and increased the number of grains per plant, pod length and yield of cowpea crop.

Keywords:
Vigna unguiculata (L.); Salinity; Organic fertilizer; Microorganisms.