Effect of location and time of introducing cowpea on yield of cowpea in a maize/cowpea intercrop in southern Kaduna, Kaduna State, North- Western Nigeria

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during the 2019 rainy season at the Kaduna State University Teaching and Research Farm, Kafanchan (latitude 9.5833 ^oN and longitude 8.2869 ^oE) located in Jema’a Local Government area and Madakiya, ( latitude 9.6899^oN and longitude 8.2869^oE) located in Zango Kataf Local Government area, all in Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State, North- Western Nigeria. These locations are at an altitude of about 636m above sea level, to investigate the yield of cowpea as influenced by time of introducing it to maize in Southern Kaduna the treatments consisted of four times of introducing cowpea (8,9,10 and 11 weeks after sowing maize (WASM))and two locations(Kafanchan and Madakiya). laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications, Results revealed that of all the parameters measured, location significantly influenced number of pods/plant of cowpea only. However, location and the interaction between time of introduction of cowpea and location did significantly affect the growth and yield of cowpea. It is therefore recommended that Cowpea should be introduced in maize/cowpea intercrop in the 8^th and 9^TH WASM in Madakiya and 10^th and 11^th WASM in Kafanchan as these locations and timings gave significantly higher yields than others.