last final thesis of umer

On the other hand cowpea varieties had highly significant (P<0.01) on both days to flowering and
days to physiological maturity duet to verities (Appendix Table 4). The variety Kenketi took
shortest time 54.30 and 78.44 days to reach flowering and maturity respectively while Bole took
longest time, 61.83 and 83.33 days to reach flowering and maturity respectively (Table 10). This
might be due to the difference of their genetic inheritance between this varieties of cowpea. In
agreement with this result, Alemayehu et al. (2018) who reported that highly significance effect
of common bean varieties intercropped with maize on days to flowering and maturity of common
bean. Similarly, Biruk (2007) reported similar result on common bean intercropped with sorghum.
Days to 90% Physiological Maturity
Cowpea physiological maturity was significantly (P<0.05) affected by cropping system (Appendix
Table 4). There was delay of physiological maturity in the case of intercropped (80.74 days) than
sole cropped (78.44 days) of all cowpea varieties which might be due to inter specific competition
for water and other growth factors (Table 10). This finding is in line with the report of Thobatsi
(2009) who reported that significance effect of cropping system on maturity of cowpea varieties
on maize/cowpea intercropping.
Unlike cropping system, cowpea planting density and interaction (density and variety) effect did
not significantly (P>0.05) affected the days to cowpea physiological maturity (Appendix Table 4).
The crops reached their physiological maturity with in mean days of 80.89 days for 50% and 81.00
days for 100% population of cowpea (Table 10).
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