My final year Research journey.

Part 1

Trust it wasn't all that great.

It all started when I received an email from my supervisor on the 4th of January 2016 saying I'm to report to his office on the 7th. It was the beginning of the year research had to start. My supervisor had been assigned 3 students, me and 2 others. "The effect of phosphorus application rates on the growth and yield of cowpea in alkaline soils" is your topic, my supervisor said. I was excited. 

                           

Tenth of January i had to demarcate the land so I should start planting. I was given a 19m x 11m land to Plant on and my plots were 3m x 3m. I had 5 treatments replicated 3 times (0 kgP/ha, 20 kgP/ha, 40 kgP/ha, 60 kgP/ha, 80 kgP/ha) so I had 15 plots. Soil sampling was done using an Auger. We sampled on 3 different spots in each 3m x 3m, the 3 samples were mixed together to form 1 sample. The soil was then dried in the soil lab then sieved and awaited analysis. 

I planted on my plots, each 3m x 3m had 5 rows. The spacing, intra and inter row spacing was 35cm x 35cm. 

As we were assigned the same supervisor we had to work together. So on the 10th we demarcated my plot and planted, we then did the same with the other 2 students's plots we demarcated and planted in the next two day. 

My plants emerged 10 days later.  Now it was a matter of weeds on my plots. I must say my plots were a play ground. Little did I know that there are herbicides one can spray immediately after planting to suppress weeds. But hey It was my first time doing a research in a way I was learning but hey I learnt the hard way. 

Wednesday was research day so we went to the farm every Wednesday. 

Data was collected on the following parameters plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves per plant, number of pods per plant, number of nodules, nodule diameter, chlorophyll content, number of branches per plant and Day of first flowering. The data was collected weekly and recorded on a field notebook. 

At one point as the cowpeas maturured, they were affected by Aphids. I alerted my supervisor on the matter but due to lack of resources there was nothing he could do, he said. Luckily the masters students who were also dealing with cowpea had come together and bought an aphid pesticide they gave me some. I used a Knapsack to mix the pesticide solution and my aphid problem was dealt with.
            

Stay tuned for more