Jornal de Fisiologia e Patologia Vegetal

Effects of Magnetized Water on Growth Performance, Photosynthetic pigments accumulation and Yield Attributes of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp

Ezekiel Dare Olowolaju and Adekunle Ajayi Adelusi

This study aimed at examining the biological effects of magnetically treated water on growth performance, biochemical attributes and yield of Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) under screenhouse conditions in 2019 season. The treatments were divided into two regimes. The first regimes were supplied daily with magnetized water and the second regime was watered daily with tap water. The regimes were laid down in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with six replicates. The following growth and yield parameters were taken shoot height, number of leaves, leaf area, number of flowers, number of fruits, seed weight and number of seeds in pods. Crop growth rate, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, leaf area ratio, tissue water contents and root to shoot ratio were also determined from leaf area and dry matter. Some biochemical attributes such as photosynthetic pigments accumulation were also determined using standard methods. The result obtained from this study indicated that magnetized water improved shoot heights, number of leaves, length of internodes, leaf area of Vigna unguiculata. The growth indices of Vigna unguiculata such as crop growth rate, net assimilation rate, leaf area ratio, tissue water content and root to shoot ratio; biochemical parameters such as photosynthetic pigments; and yield parameters such as number of fruits, seed weight and number of seeds in pods were significantly different and higher in Vigna unguiculata treated with magnetized water from plant treated with tap water. It may therefore be concluded that magnetized water can be used to improve growth, biochemical attributes and yield of Vigna unguiculata.