Growth and Yield of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) as Influenced by Population Density of Component Cowpea in a Sesame-cowpea Mixture

Aim: To study the effects of population density on the growth and yield of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) intercropped with cowpea (Vigna unquiculata L. Walp).

Materials and Methods: A field trial was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of kwara State University, Malete (08° 42ᶦᶦ 48.5N and 004° 26 17.9ᶦᶦ E) in the southern Guinea savannah agro-ecological zone of Nigeria in 2014 cropping season. The treatments consisted of full population of sesame intercropped with 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% full population of cowpea. Sole sesame and cowpea were also included as control. Cowpea populations were introduced into sesame at two weeks after planting. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Efficiency of intercropping was evaluated using land equivalent ratio (LER) and percentage yield difference indices (PYD).

Results: Intercropping significantly influenced growth and yield of cowpea, meanwhile, growth and yield of sesame were not affected by intercropping. The highest height of cowpea, 22.30 cm, was recorded when full populations of both crops were mixed. Combinations of full population of both crops produced lowest number of branches (1.03) and pods (1.87) per plants in cowpea and also recorded highest LER (1.30) and PYD (31%). Sole cowpea significantly out-yielded other treatment combinations in the intercrop.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated the suitability of intercropping sesame with cowpea in all the component population ratios tested with the best ratios when full populations of both crops were mixed.