Tow field trials were conducted at Vegetable Research Farm of Horticultural
Research Institute, Kaha, Kaluobia Governorate during two successive summer
seasons of 2001 and 2002 to study the effect of plant spacing (10, 20 and 30 cm) and
foliar application with potassium (0, 1, 2, 3 cm/l) on growth, seed yield and quality of
cowpea cultivars i.e. Kafr EI-Sheikh (1) and Kaha (1). Obtained results could be
summarized as follow: 1- Kafr EI-Sheikh (1) cv. surpassed Kaha (1) cv. in all measurement growth
characters, i.e. plant height, number of branches and leaves, leaf area, fresh and
dry weight of plants, also in seed yield and its components expressed as number
and weight of pods, number of seeds per pod, 100-seed weight (seed index),
seed yield per plant and per feddan, produced 35.2 and 39.6% seed yield more
than the other cultivar in the two seasons, respectively and gave the highest
values of germination (%), seedling length and protein (%) in dry seed. 2- All vegetative growth traits recorded higher values in wider spacing 20 or 30 cm
except plant height which was maximum under closer spacing (10 ern). Also, all
seed yield components characters were enhanced with increasing plant spacing
except seed yieldlfeddan which was maximum under narrow spacing, as well as,
seed quality characters except germination speed recorded higher values under
wider spacing compared to closer spacing. 3- Spraying cowpea plants with potassium increased plant growth characters, seed
yield and its components, germination percentage. seedling length and protein
(%) in seed. Using potassium at (2 cm/l) was the most effective treatment for all
studied characters. 4- Interaction effect of cultivars, plant spacing and potassium were differed for all
studied characteristics. In general, it may be recommended to grow the used cultivars under closer
spacing (10 ern) and spraying plants with foliar application of potassium at (2 cm/l) to
obtain the highest seed yieldlfeddan as well as seed quality ..