| dc.description.abstract | Cowpea is an important food crop for the people living in the sub-Saharan regions of Africa given
its adaptation to the ecological conditions. Its production is hampered by soil infertility and weed
infestation. Thus, this study investigated effects of glyphosate application and seed inoculation on
the growth characteristics and yield performance of cowpea. The experimental design was an
RCBD with the treatments being inoculum and glyphosate. Data was collected on the growth
parameters; number of root nodules, number of leaves, tap root length, number of branches, plant
fresh weight, and stem height, and yield parameters; number of pods, weight per pod, weight of
100 seed, yield per hectare. The average number of root nodules in plots treated inoculum and
those of the control plots have no significant difference (p<0.05) but are significantly different
from plots treated with glyphosate and those treated with both glyphosate and inoculum. The
herbicide had a significant (p<0.05) effect on the number of branches with inoculum treatment
having the highest (8.7) and glyphosate plus inoculum as the lowest. (5). There wasn’t any
significant (p<0.05) difference in the weight of the shoots in all the treatments. Treatment with
glyphosate had a negative effect on the number of leaves with lowest plot being glyphosate treated
(48.3) and the highest being inoculum treated (110.7). There was no significant difference in the
stem length and tap root length when glyphosate and inoculum was applied. There was no
significant difference in number of seeds of pods when treated with glyphosate and inoculum.
Glyphosate had a significantly (p<0.05) negative effect on the number of pods per plant with
highest from control (16) and lowest from the glyphosate treatment (11.3). Average number of
pods, weight of 100 seeds and yield per hectare were negatively affected by glyphosate application
but positively affected by inoculum application. The application of glyphosate herbicide as means
of weed control has a significant negative effect on the growth and yield characteristics of cowpea.
It the reduced level of colonization and activity of the nitrogen fixing bacteria as shown by fewer
nodulation in glyphosate treated may also be attribute to physiological effects of the herbicide
contrary to inoculum. Inoculum should be used to boost yield and glyphosate avoided till further
research is carried on the best use procedures in cowpea. | en_US |
