Growth and gas exchange of cowpea bean genotypes under strategies of cultivation

Abstract The cowpea bean has great economic, nutritive and social importance. In the Northeast, especially in semi-arid regions, cowpea production is limited due to a lack of water, making it necessary to identify tolerant genotypes and cultivation technologies. This study therefore aimed to analyze the dry matter yield and the gas exchange between cowpea genotypes cultivated using different water conservation techniques. The experiment was conducted in the field in the city of Pombal, Paraíba, in order to study four treatments that use different water retention techniques (ridge, groove, basin and conventional system) applying six genotypes of cowpea bean (1. Costela de Vaca, 2. BRS Itaim, 3. BRS Guariba, 4. BR-17 Gurgueia, 5. BRS Potengi e 6. BRS Arace) sowing with 0.5 m x 0.5 m spacing between plants, using the randomized blocks design with four replications. Dry matter yield and gas exchange data were subjected to ANOVA, F test, followed by mean comparison tests, Tukey test. The groove and ridge cultivation techniques had better results than the basin and conventional techniques. The BRS- Potengi, BRS - Aracé e BRS - Guariba genotypes had better growth and gas exchange potential.