Cowpea production as affected by dry spells in no-tillage and conventional crop systems

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different periods of water shortage in no-tillage and conventional crop systems on cowpea yield components and grain yield in the Mossoró-RN region. For this, an experiment was conducted using two tillage systems (conventional and no-tillage) subjected to periods of irrigation suspension (2; 6; 10; 14; 18 end 22 days), started at flowering (34 days after sowing). Plants were harvested 70 days after sowing, and the studied variables were: Pods length (CV), number of grains per pod (NGV), number of pods per plant (NPP), the hundred grains weight (PCG) and grain yield (kg ha-1). The no-tillage system is more productive than the conventional under both irrigation and water stress treatments. The water stress length affected grain yield and all yield components studied in a negative way, except for the hundred grains weight. Among the systems studied, the no-tillage provides higher values for the yield components, except the hundred grains weight.