A Detailed Guide to Cowpea Seed Selection Techniques and Seedling-Raising Methods
Cowpea, also called yardlong bean, has a unique taste, is in relatively high demand on the market, and is grown by many farmers. Cowpea has fairly strong heat tolerance and can still grow normally at around 35°C. It is currently grown in all parts of our country. And when growing cowpea, the most important thing is selecting the seeds. So how should cowpea seeds be selected? What seedling-raising methods are there? Let's take a look together below.
1. How should cowpea seeds be selected?
Cowpea seeds are relatively small and have weak cold resistance. Carefully selecting the seeds before sowing is the key to ensuring full stands and strong seedlings. To improve the seeds' germination vigor and germination rate and to ensure uniform, rapid germination, seeds should be selected and sun-dried. Remove seeds that are poorly filled, insect-damaged, broken, or moldy, and sun-dry them on the ground for 1 to 2 days on a sunny day.
2. What seedling-raising methods are there for cowpea?
1. Seed soaking and sowing
Put the seeds into water kept at 25 to 30°C, soak for 2 to 3 hours, and remove from the water. Because the radicle of yardlong bean is very sensitive to temperature and humidity, generally only seed soaking is done, not germination acceleration. Before sowing, water first to build up sufficient bottom moisture. When sowing, sow 3 to 4 seeds per pot and cover with 2 to 3 cm of soil.
2. Seedling raising
Cowpea in early spring is mostly raised as seedlings and then transplanted. In mid-to-late March, use nutritional pots to raise seedlings. A seedling bed needs to be built in a protected area, with high ridges made, and the ridge width is required to be 120 cm. In the ridges, 8 cm x 8 cm plastic pots or paper pots can be arranged. The nutritional soil is prepared by mixing rotted pig manure residue and pest-free garden soil at a 1:1 ratio and putting it into the nutritional pots. Put the carefully selected seeds into a basin, then quickly scald them with hot water at about 90°C, immediately cool them with cold water, keep the water temperature at 25 to 30°C, soak the seeds for 4 to 6 hours, then drain off the excess water and they are ready for sowing.
When sowing, note that the pots should first be watered thoroughly with bottom water, and after the water seeps down, put 3 to 4 seeds in each pot. Cover with 2 to 3 cm of fine soil, then cover with plastic film and a plastic arched shed, which can increase temperature and preserve warmth. After sowing, keep the seedling bed temperature at 25°C during the day and 20°C at night. After the young shoots push through the soil, note that the plastic film should be removed, then cover with 0.3 cm of fine soil, and let the seedling bed temperature drop to 22 to 23°C during the day and 13 to 14°C at night. While strengthening light, maintain sufficient light of 10 to 11 hours per day, and note that during the seedling stage low temperature and excessive moisture should be prevented.
After emergence, when the outside daytime temperature reaches above 17°C, ventilation can be increased, and when the nighttime temperature is above 15°C, no covering can be used. Generally, watering is not needed. If slight wilting occurs around noon, water thoroughly, and it is necessary to prevent the phenomenon of frequent light watering causing the seedlings to grow excessively. Seven days before transplanting, remove the covering to harden the seedlings, and water once before transplanting.
3. Management after sowing
After sowing, maintain about 30°C during the day and about 25°C at night to promote seedling emergence. Under normal temperatures, germination occurs 7 days after sowing, and seedlings are fully emerged in about 10 days. At this time, the hypocotyl of yardlong bean is particularly sensitive to temperature, and high temperatures will inevitably cause the plants to grow excessively, so the temperature should be lowered, maintaining 20 to 25°C during the day and 14 to 16°C at night. At the same time, the temperature during the seedling stage must not be too low, and cold air invasion must be strictly prevented to avoid root rust. Yardlong bean generally is not given additional fertilizer during the seedling stage, but water management must be strengthened to prevent the seedling bed from being too dry or too wet, with soil relative humidity at about 70%. About 7 days before transplanting, begin low-temperature hardening of the seedlings. Pay attention to ventilation, let the seedlings see more light, and prevent the seedlings from growing excessively.
The above is an introduction to cowpea seeds. Using the seedling-raising method for cowpea can fully protect the root system from damage. Moreover, raising seedlings and transplanting can inhibit the vegetative growth of cowpea and promote reproductive growth, thereby making the seedlings strong, branching out quickly, and lowering the pod-bearing position. Cowpea can then vine, branch, flower, and set pods earlier, which is more favorable for obtaining high yields of cowpea.
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