Microorganisms of Vigna Unguiculata (L.) Walp (Cowpea) Seeds and the Effect on Germination and Seedling Growth.

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the effect of pathogenic fungi and bacteria on seed germination and seedling growth of Vigna unguiculata. The fungi used in the study are: Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht, Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem, Botryodiplodia theobromae (Pat) Novel, and Rhizopus stolonifer Ehrenb ex Link and the bacteria were: Pseudomonas sp., Xanthomonas sp., Corynobacterium sp. and Micrococcus sp. all isolated from diseased cowpea seeds. The individual microorganisms inhibited germination and seedling growth in varying degrees. Fusarium oxysporum had the least germination percentage (20%) followed by Aspergillus niger (24%), Botryodiplodia theobromae (36%), Xanthomonas sp. and Pseudomonas sp. (40%), Rhizopus stolonifer (44%), Corynobacterium sp. (48%) and lastly Micrococcus sp. (60%). Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus niger are the most pathogenic organisms in the study as they greatly affected the germination and seedling growth of cowpea.