Evaluation of Forage Type Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.Walp.) Accessions for Dry Matter Yield in Lowlands of Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Six accessions of forage type cowpea were evaluated for agro-morphological differences at five locations laid out in randomized complete block design with four replications in the lowlands of Southern Ethiopia, 2017. Data on days to 50% flowering, plant height, branch number and dry matter yield were collected and analyzed. Longer days to 50% flowering, taller plant height and higher number of branches over the growing period were recorded at Salayish2. The difference between late and early flowering and maturing accessions for forage harvest was 90 days for local cowpea at Chano and 55.75 days for ILRI-9334A at Angela4. Number of branches at Chano for local cow pea was five whereas 20 for ILRI-11114A at Salayish3. Taller cowpea accession gave better dry matter yield at forage harvest. ILRI-12713A (16.1 t/ha) showed higher dry matter yield at Chano and lower dry matter yield was recorded for local (2.3 t/ha) cowpea at Angela4. ILRI-12713A would be a promising accession in the low lands of Southern Ethiopia for its medium days to 50% flower and optimum forage harvest, intermediate plant height with slightly erect for soil coverage, moderate number of branches and higher dry matter yield across experimental locations.

Keywords: experimental location, forage harvest, morphological traits, promising accession, Vigna unguiculata