TITLE:
Evaluation of the Suitability of Some Cowpea Genotype for Maize-Cowpea Intercrop in Northern Ghana
AUTHORS:
Abeku Tetteh, Francis Kusi, Raphael Adu-Gyamfi, Patrick Attamah
KEYWORDS:
Cowpea, Maize, Row, Strip, Intercropping, Monocropping
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.12 No.12,
December
22,
2021
ABSTRACT: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural
Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) in collaboration with University of California,
Riverside phenotyped 300 Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) of Multi-parent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross
(MAGIC) cowpea population from eight elite cowpea cultivars in Northern Ghana.
Among the traits targeted in the phenotyping is extra early maturity suitable
for Sudan Savanna agro ecological zone of Ghana. Ten selected extra early
genotypes from the MAGIC population were intercropped with maize to identify
genotype(s) that can maintain agronomic performances and grain yield. A field
experiment was carried out at the Manga Station of SARI, Ghana during the 2018
and 2019 growing season to evaluate the ten extra-early cowpea genotypes in
maize/cowpea intercrop. The experimental design used was split plot with three
replications. The cropping patterns (row, strip and sole cropping) were
assigned to the main plot. Ten cowpea genotypes (MAGIC 008, MAGIC 043, MAGIC
048, MAGIC 055, MAGIC 076, MAGIC 118, MAGIC 154, MAGIC 176, CB27, and SARC
1-57-2) were assigned to sub-plots. The results indicated that the number of
seed per pod of the cowpea was not affected by cowpea genotype and intercrop
pattern interaction; however, the interaction influenced grain yield, pod per plant, plant height, 50% flowering and 100
seed weight of cowpea. MAGIC genotypes, M008, M048, M055, M154, recorded
higher grain yield under both strip intercropping and sole cropping. SARC1-57-2
also recorded the highest grain yield under row intercropping. M048, M055,
M076, M176 and SARI’s collection SARC1-57-2 were the top five genotypes in
fodder production. Intercropping advantage was compared with sole cropping.
Land equivalent ratio greater than 1 was observed for all the genotypes with
MAGIC 048 recording the highest LER at strip intercrop. Benefit Cost Ratio also
showed that there is advantage of intercropping than sole cropping.