Publicado

2026-10-21

Development of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) in different pot sizes

Desarrollo de caupí (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) en macetas de diferentes tamaños

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15446/abc.v31n3.123562

Palabras clave:

Container cultivation, Morphological traits, Phenotyping, Plant growth (en)
Cultivo en contenedor, Crecimiento vegetal, Fenotipado, Rasgos morfológicos (es)

Autores/as

Cowpea is a crop of great economic and nutritional importance, used for human and animal consumption, particularly in semi-arid regions.  Its growth and development depend on adequate conditions for the expansion of the root system and the establishment. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of pot size on the shoot and root development of cowpea. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Department of Plant Science, Federal University of Ceará, in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Seeds of the Setentão variety were used in a completely randomized experimental design with five replications. The plants were grown in pots with volumes of 5, 11, 18, and 25 dm³, and shoot and root system traits were evaluated, including stem, leaves, pods, dry seeds, and roots. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and mean comparison tests, as well as correlation and principal component analyses. Pot size significantly influenced plant development and the most of the evaluated traits showed strong positive correlations, indicating a close interdependence between shoot and root system variables. Principal component analysis explained 65.7% of the total observed variation. Among the evaluated pot volumes, the 18 dm³ pot showed the best overall performance, considering vegetative, productive, and root traits, and is therefore recommended for cowpea studies and production under pot conditions.

El caupí es un cultivo de gran importancia económica y alimentaria, utilizado para el consumo humano y animal, especialmente en regiones semiáridas. Su crecimiento y desarrollo dependen de las condiciones adecuadas para la expansión del sistema radicular y establecimiento. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el efecto del tamaño de la maceta sobre el desarrollo de la parte aérea y las raíces del caupí. El experimento se realizó en un invernadero del Departamento de Fitotecnia de la Universidad Federal de Ceará, en Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. Se utilizaron semillas de la variedad Setentão, en un diseño experimental completamente aleatorizado, con cinco repeticiones. Las plantas se cultivaron en macetas de volúmenes 5, 11, 18 y 25 dm³, y se evaluaron características de la parte aérea y del sistema radicular, incluyendo tallo, hojas, vainas, semillas secas y raíces. Los datos fueron sometidos a análisis de varianza y prueba de comparación de medias, además de análisis de correlación y componentes principales. El tamaño de la maceta influyó significativamente en el desarrollo de las plantas y la mayoría de las características evaluadas presentearon fuertes correlaciones positivas, indicando una estrecha interdependencia entre las variables de la parte aérea y del sistema radicular. El análisis de componentes principales explicó el 65,7 % de la variación total observada. Entre los volúmenes evaluados, la maceta de 18 dm³ presentó el mejor desempeño general, considerando las características vegetativas, productivas y radiculares, por lo que se recomienda para estudios y producción de caupí en condiciones de maceta.

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Pessoa, A. M. dos S. ., Silveira, M. V. . de S. ., Lima, E. N., Souza, T. R. M. de ., Bertini, C. H. C. de M. ., de Lima Castro, Érika B., Nascimento, J. M. S. do ., & Firmino da Silva, A. K. (2026). Desarrollo de caupí (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) en macetas de diferentes tamaños. Acta Biológica Colombiana, 31(3). https://doi.org/10.15446/abc.v31n3.123562