ABSTRACT

A field experiment to study the effect of plant genotype and spacing (plant population) on growth and yield of vegetable cowpea was conducted at Umudike. The Experiment was designed with four vegetable cowpea genotypes on a split-plot; (IT86F-2014-1, akidi enu, akidi ani and IT81D-1228-14 iii the main plots and spacing as subplots 10, 20, 30,10cm). Significant genotypic effect was observed for number of branches at SWAP but not at 3WAP, 7WAP and YWAP while spacing has a significant effect on number of branches per plant at 9WAP. Plant height was significant at 5WAP, 7WAP and YWAP but not at 3WAP. At 7WAP and 9WAP there was a significant genotypic effect for number of leaves per plant. The subplot had a significant effect at 9WAP. There was an interaction effect at 9WAP but not at 3,5 and 7 WAP for number of leaves per plant. Leaf dry matter yield and total dry matter yield showed no significant genotypic effect (P<0.05) but had a significant effect at the subplot at 9WAP. Interaction was significant at 7WAP for leaf dry matter yield but not significant at total dry matter yield. The leaf area (LA) and leaf area index (LAI) was not significant at 3WAP, 5WAP and 7WAP but significant at 9WAP. Interaction effect was significant both for leaf area and leaf area index for 9WAP but not at 3, 5 and 7WAP. The yield and yield components were significant among the genotypes but the spacing showed a non-significant effect. There was rio significant interaction effect for the fresh pod yield and most of the yield components except 100-seed weight where the interaction effect was significant.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page

Certification ii

Dedication ii'

Acknowledgement iv

List of Table v

List of Appendices vi

Abstract VII

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUC I ION 1

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 3

Intra row spacing in relation to yield 3

Growth and yield relationship 5

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS 8

Experimental site 8

Treatment and treatment allocation 8

Land preparation 9

Planting and seed germination 9

Data collection 9

Data on yield and yield components 10

Statistical analysis of the data 10

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

Growth components 11

Number of branches per plant 11

Plant height ii

Number of leaves per E)la[1t 12

Leaf dry matter yield 13

5teni dry inIUcr yiel(l I

Total dry matter yield 14

Leaf area 14

Leaf area index 24

Yield and yield components 26

Pod length 26

Pod width 27

Number of peduncles per plant 27

Number of pods per plant 27

Number of seeds per pod 28

Pods per metre square 28

100 seeds weight (g) 28

Fodder yield 29

Fresh pod yield 29

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION 34

Reference 38

Appendices 43