Effect of Dates of Sowing and Haulm Cutting on Growth and Yield of Fodder Cowpea

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) is the most important legume in the world. It is used as fodder, vegetable, pulse and green manure crop. Pulses, popularly known as “poor man’s meat”, constitute the major source of dietary protein of large section of vegetarian population of the world. On an average, pulse contains 20 to 30 per cent protein. Apart from their high nutritional value, they have a unique characteristic of maintaining and restoring soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation as well as complete defoliation adding to soil as organic manure thus play a vital role in a sustainable agriculture (Asthana, 1998).