last final thesis of umer

4.3.2. Effect on Growth parameters of cowpea
Plant height (cm)
The result of this study indicated that Cowpea variety, planting density and their interaction had a
highly significant (P<0.01) effect on plant height of cowpea (Appendix Table 5). The longest
plants t (40.50 cm) were recorded from cowpea variety Bole at 100% planting density whereas the
shortest (36.13cm) were recorded from Kenketi at 50% population density therefore the height
was significantly increased as planting density of cowpea was increased( Table 11). The raise in
plant height of cowpea with increase in planting density of cowpea might be due to increased
competition for growth resources such as radiation, soil moisture and nutrients with increased
population of the intercropping system which makes the stem of the plant weak. Similar result was
reported by Mitiku and Getachew (2017) who found that the height of common bean was highly
significantly affected by planting density and varieties of common bean intercropped with rice.
However, Biruk (2007) found that planting density of common bean was not significantly affected
the height of common bean intercropped with sorghum.
Plant height of cowpea was also significantly affected (P<0.05) by the cropping system (Appendix
Table 5). The intercropping of cowpea with maize resulted in an increase of cowpea plant height
by about 2.16 cm compared to its pure stand. Competition for light under intercropping could have
induced taller plants at the different cropping pattern compared to sole cropping of cowpea.
Muoneke et al. (2007) and Ennin et al. (2002) were also reported that increased soybean plant
height under intercrop with maize in maize/soybean intercropping.
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