Differential responses of two cowpea (Virgina unguiculata L.Walp.) genotypes to pre-emergence herbicides in the savannah woodland and rainforest agroclimatic regions of Sierra Leone

Abstract

Field trials were conducted in savannah woodland (Njala) and rainforest (Serabu) agroclimatic regions of Sierra Leone during 2016 second cropping season to assess different preemergence herbicides techniques that is efficient, cost effective and environmentally safe in cowpea production. The experiment consisted of 20 treatments which included 2 cowpea genotypes (slipea 4 and slipea 5) and 10 different weed control techniques viz: butachlor 50% emulsifiable concentrate (EC), double force®, power force® applied as preemergence herbicides at 2, 4 and 6 L ha-1, respectively and weedy check. The treatments were laid out in a strip-plot design arranged in a factorial system with three replications. The results of this study revealed that the application of power force® at 6 L ha-1 recorded the highest phytotoxic effect, lowest weed dry weight, number of pods per plant and grain yield, highest total variable cost, lowest gross and net returns. Furthermore, butachlor 50% EC at 2 L ha-1 closely followed by double force® at 6 L ha-1 resulted in maximum grain yield, gross and net returns compared to the rest of the other weed control techniques. Thus, it is concluded that butachlor 50% EC at 2 L ha-1 was more economical, profitable and beneficial than other control treatments in the production of cowpea genotypes in the savannah woodland and rainforest agroclimatic regions of Sierra Leone. Conclusively, the relationship between phytotoxicity and grain yield indicates that the higher the grain yield the lower the phytotoxic effects of the chemicals.