Department of Crop Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 1526, Owerri, Nigeria
Ihejirika, G.O., Department of Crop Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 1526, Owerri, Nigeria
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) pods or grains could be stored in warehouse, silos, cribs, steel drums, rombus, earthen ware pots, plastic or gourds. A test was conducted to evaluate storage materials and varietal differences on some fungal diseases and germination of cowpea. It was found that cowpea stored in earthen pot recorded lowest percentage occurrence of Anthracnose followed by those stored in jute, when those stored in plastic bag recorded highest. IAR1696 and IT89KD-374 recorded similar but low percentage occurrence of Anthracnose in all the storage materials investigated. These varieties recorded similar but lowest percentage germination in all the storage materials when IT89KD-374 and IT93K-452-1 recorded but highest percentage germination. Cowpea stored in jute recorded highest mean percentage germination (89.2), when those stored in plastic bag recorded lowest 75.8%. Cowpea variety IT89KD-288 recorded lowest percentages germination irrespective of the storage material used, when other varieties recorded higher but similar percentages germination which fall with the range of 83.6-85.4. Investigation revealed that storage materials influence some fungal diseases development as well as the viability of the seed as determined by its germination percentage. On the other hand there were varietal influences on the percentage occurrence of some fungal diseases as well as germination of cowpea. © 2007 Academic Journals.
