Variation in Postharvest Quality Attributes of Fresh Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) Beans Harvested from Different Crop Mulching Regime.

Background: Present study, aimed to assess effect of organic and inorganic crop mulching on physical, physiological and biochemical quality of fresh cowpea beans. Methods: Cowpea (cv. Kashi Kanchan bush-type) was grown during two consecutive seasons from April 2018 to July 2019 under four different mulching treatments. Mulching treatments included no mulch; wheat straw mulch (organic mulch); black mulch and silver mulch. Black and silver mulches were made of 25 microns LDPE sheet. Cowpea was grown as per standard agronomic practices and physical, biochemical and postharvest quality parameters of beans were evaluated. Result: Results indicated that bean length (28.7cm) was highest under silver mulch whereas bean thickness (9.10 mm), width (9.29 mm) and 100 bean weight (1094.5 g) were highest under organic mulch. Likewise, protein content (28.63%), total phenolic content (17.0 µg GAE/100 g) and total antioxidant activity (46.84 µmol trolox equiv./100 g) were found highest in beans produced under organic mulch. Overall results demonstrated that crop mulching could be used for enhancing the antioxidants, phenolic content of cowpea beans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]