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.
Highlights
The limited land areas are facing pressure to meet basic demands of human being for food, fiber and oil
The results indicated that the number of seed per pod of the cowpea was not affected by cowpea genotype and intercrop pattern interaction; the interaction influenced grain yield, pod per plant, plant height, 50% flowering and 100 seed weight of cowpea
Plant height of SARC1-57-2 was the tallest in row intercropping and helped it to compete for light with the maize plant than their respective height in sole cropping and strip intercrop, this had effect on the number of pod produced in row intercrop and eventually leading to the highest yield in row intercropping
Summary
The limited land areas are facing pressure to meet basic demands of human being for food, fiber and oil. Harvesting of the cowpea before the maize is due for harvesting serves as a bridge to the “hunger gap” experienced by farmers as they await the harvesting of their cereals. Despite these benefits from cowpea-maize intercrop systems, farmers still suffer from the “hunger gap”. The improved early maturing and determinate cowpea varieties available to the farmers which can be harvested between 55 and 60 days after planting are not suitable for intercropping This deprives the farmer’s opportunity to utilize the space under the maize canopy to plant cowpea varieties that can be harvested early in the season to bridge the “hanger gap” during the growing season. The spreading nature of the cowpea varieties used for the intercrop interferes with some agronomic practices of the farmers such as reshaping of ridges, fertilizer application and weeding
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