Agronomic Performance of Different Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) walp) Varieties Cultivated as Sole and Intercropped with Maize in Chewaka District, South West Ethiopia

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp) is a legume crop grown for multipurpose uses. There are various varieties of cowpea grown under different agro ecologies throughout the world. The experiment was conducted at Chewacka district Buno Bedele Zone, South western Ethiopia; to identify adaptive and high yielding varieties under sole and cowpea maize based cropping system. The experimental contained 10 treatment combinations of sole Sewunet, sole Bole, sole Bekur, sole 9333, sole local, Sewunet+maize, Bole+maize, Bekur+maize, 9333+maize, local+maize. The treatment was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data on performance during establishment and growth parameter were collected. The data were analyzed using Statistical Analysis Software (SAS version of 9.3). Results indicated that days to emergence, crop stand vigor, number of leaves/plant, number of branches/plant, plant height, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity showed significant variation (P<0.05) among cowpea varieties and cropping system. The highest numbers of leaves were recorded in sewunet (86.27) and Bole (81.93) in sole cropped cowpea, whereas, for cowpea intercropped with maize, the highest number of leaves (52.60) was recorded in Bole. On the other hand, the highest branch number was recorded from Sewunet (8.27) in sole cropped whereas; Bole recorded the highest branches in both sole (8.13) and intercropped with maize (5.2). Bole variety flowered early in both mono-cropped (49.67 days) and cowpea maize based cropped (55.33 days) whereas, Sewunet variety flowered late (62.67days) for mono-cultured and cowpea maize based cropped (66.67days). Bole variety had early pod setting both under sole (57.67) and maize intercropping (62.33), whereas, sewunet variety was late pod setting under sole (70.00) and when intercropped with maize (73.33). Bole variety was found to be superior in most parameters recorded when cultivated sole and intercropped with maize, so that, it can be integrated crops under the current land scarcity in Ethiopia. Further study is also important to see the effects of feeding cowpea forages on animal performances.