Husbandry Of Selected Crops II – Legumes Cultivation SS1 Agricultural Science Lesson Note

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Topic: Husbandry Of Selected Crops II – Legumes Cultivation

Cultivation of Legumes

COWPEA (Vignaunguiculata) GROUNDNUT (Arachishypogea)
Description  Cowpea is a member of the pulses or legumes. It belongs to the family leguminoseae. It is rich in protein. The fruit of cowpea is called Pod. Groundnut is a dual purpose crop. It serves as oil crop as well as a pulse or leguminous crop. However, it is grown mainly for its oil. The seed gives about 40-45% of excellent edible oil.
Varieties  Erect type, creeping type, Ife brown, Ife bimpe Bunch or erect type, creeping type, Kano local, Kano 50, castle cary.
Land preparation  Clearing the land and making ridges either manually or mechanically. Clearing the land and making ridges either manually or mechanically.
Climatic requirements  Temperature of 27o-35oC, Rainfall of 60-125cm per annum. Temperature of 25o-30oC, Rainfall of 70-100cm per annum.
Soil requirements  Well drained sandy loamy soil  Coarse textured sandy loamy soil which is slightly acidic and rich in calcium and phosphorus for pod formation.
Method of propagation  By seeds By seeds
Planting date April to September depending on the ecological zone. South – March / April       North – May / June
Planting  Planting can be done manually or mechanically at 2-3 seeds per hole. Planting can be done manually or mechanically at 2-3 seeds per hole.
Seed rate 20 – 25kg per hectare. 30 – 35kg per hectare.
Spacing Erect type – 30 x 75cm, Creeping type – 25 x 90cm Erect type – 60 x 15cm    Creeping type – 60 x 20cm
Cultural practices  Supplying, thinning, weeding fertilizer application, control of pests and diseases. Supplying, thinning, weeding and control of pests and diseases. Groundnut does not need fertilizer application except on a very poor soil.
Maturity period  9 – 12 weeks after planting depending on varieties. 3 – 4 months after planting
Harvesting  Hand picking of matured brown pods. It is ready for harvest when the leaves turn yellow and begin to wilt. It is done by uprooting the plant manually or mechanically and allowing to dry for easy removal of pods.
Processing  Sun drying, threshing and winnowing.  Sun drying, removal of seeds from the pods by slightly pounding in mortar or using a decorticating or shelling machine.
Uses i. A source of plant protein for man 

ii. It serves as a cover crop

iii. It serves as forage legumes

iv. It is used for making green manure.

i. For making oil

ii. For making cake to feed man and farm animals

iii. For making groundnut butter.

Storage Seeds are stored in jute bags silos or air tight container after proper drying. Seeds should be treated with insecticide and the store fumigated to prevent weevils attack. Dried groundnut seeds are stored in silos or rhombus. Unshelled pods are stored in jute bags.

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