What causes low cowpea yields? The latest analysis is here
Cowpeas are a regular on our dining tables, available all year round, and their market price is fairly stable, but many vegetable growers find when planting them that cowpea yields get smaller year after year, which is very worrying. So what is going on with low cowpea yields? Qinnong Network brings you several causes of low cowpea yields.
1. Weather and climate causes
Cowpeas grow and are harvested in the summer season of June to July. If there is continuous long-term rainy weather at this time, causing temperatures to keep dropping, and then after it clears up there is continuous high temperature, it is very easy to cause disorder in the physiological metabolism of cowpeas. And when cowpeas are flowering and setting pods, rainy and low-temperature weather will both make cowpeas grow slowly, causing flower drop and pod drop. The optimal growing temperature for cowpeas is 20-25 degrees; below 15 degrees the flower buds of cowpeas cannot differentiate normally, showing short and slender forms, leading to low yields.
2. Improper planting management
Cowpeas grow quickly; from sowing to harvest takes only 2-3 months. When planting, pay attention to density: too high a planting density leads to poor ventilation and light penetration, causing weak plant growth and few flowers and pods. In addition, when fertilizing, pay attention to balanced combination; if only one kind of fertilizer is applied, it will cause nutritional imbalance in cowpeas and likewise lead to low yields. Moreover, when fertilizing, apply more organic fertilizer and as little chemical fertilizer as possible; excessive chemical fertilizer application leads to a lack of soil trace elements, and the soil becomes compacted with extremely poor permeability, which is unfavorable for cowpea growth.
3. Untimely pest and disease control
When planting cowpeas, it is unavoidable that they will be attacked by pests and diseases, some of which are extremely harmful to cowpeas, such as root-knot nematode disease, which harms the cowpea root system, causing root nodules so that it cannot grow normally, and easily causing plant wilting and premature aging, with no pod set or poor pod set. And many pests break out in concentrated fashion, sucking the branches and leaves of the young tender parts of cowpeas, causing them to wilt or stop growing, ultimately leading to reduced yield. When planting cowpeas, keep control timely and attentive.
4. Improper pesticide use
Above we talked about pests and diseases, and some vegetable growers control pests and diseases very well, with cowpeas growing normally, yet still see low yields. This situation may be due to excessive or improper pesticide use; using too large a dose or using pesticides improperly will both cause slow growth of cowpea plants, with cowpeas short, small and deformed, and even dull-colored pods. Pesticides should be used scientifically and reasonably to keep cowpeas growing and setting pods normally and to improve yield and quality.
The above are the causes of low cowpea yields brought to you by Qinnong Network. The causes of low cowpea yields are briefly introduced here. We hope it can be of some help to you. For more agricultural knowledge, please stay tuned to Qinnong Network.