EFFECT OF QUITOMAX® ON THE INDICATORS OF GROWTH, PHENOLOGY AND YIELD OF COWPEA (Vigna unguiculata L.)

The application of biostimulant in agricultural practices is a promising alternative to the use of chemical pesticides that harm the health of man and the environment. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the foliar application of the biostimulant Quitomax at concentrations of 200, 400, and 600 mg·ha-1 on some phenological phases of cowpea plants, as well as indicators of growth and agricultural yield of this legume. The sowing was done directly, in a double row with a planting frame of 0.70 x 0.40 m on a bio-fertilizer substrate and sandy soil. The application of Quitomax was carried out at the beginning of flowering. A randomized block experimental design with four replicates per treatment was used. The growth indictors, length and diameter of the pods, pods by plants, fresh pod mass and grains by pods, as well as the yield were evaluated. It was found that the highest concentration of Quitomax applied 600 mg. ha-1 produced significantly cowpea plants with higher growth and yield indicators than the rest of the treatments.