EVALUATION OF EARLY MATURING SORGHUM [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] AND COWPEA [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] VARIETIES INTERCROPPING ON GRAIN, STOVER, HERBAGE YIELDS AND NUTRITIVE VALUE IN FE

The shortage of arable land and shortage of livestock feed are major constraints in East Hararghe Zone. Thus, a field study was conducted to evaluate early maturing sorghum varieties and cowpea varieties intercropping for both food and feed production at Fedis Agricultural Research Center, eastern Ethiopia in 2018 cropping season. With a total of 11 treatments; Two cowpea varieties (9333 and 9334) and three varieties of early maturing sorghum (Teshale, Birhan and Melkam) and their intercropping compared with sole cropping of all the varieties, which were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The result showed aboveground dry biomass and grain yields of sorghum were highly significantly (p < 0.01) affected due to sorghum varieties. The highest grain yield of sorghum was obtained from sole Melkam (5080.10 kg ha-1) followed by Melkam + cowpea (9333) intercropping (4867.3 kg ha-1). The highest aboveground dry biomass of sorghum (6.99 t ha-1) was obtained from sorghum Melkam + cowpea (9334) intercropping. The aboveground dry biomass and grain yields of cowpea were significantly (p < 0.01) different among cropping systems. The maximum aboveground dry biomass yield of cowpea (8.19 t ha-1) and grain yield of cowpea (1000.8 kg ha-1) were recorded for sole cowpea (9333). The total land productivity of component crops in sorghum-cowpea varieties intercropping was highly superior to and more advantageous over sole cropping. The value of land equivalent ratio ranges from 1.21 for Sorghum (Teshale) + Cowpea (9334) to 1.36 for sorghum (Birhan) + cowpea (9333) and the overall mean was obtained as 1.30. Intercropping sorghum improved the crude protein of sorghum stover mean from sole (5.31%) to intercropped (6.03%). the neutral detergent fiber content was significantly different (p < 0.05) among intercropped and sole sorghum the maximum neutral detergent fiber was recorded from sole sorghum Teshale (69.56%) and the minimum sorghum Birhan + cowpea (9333)(57.75%). Cropping systems and cowpea varieties were significantly affected (p < 0.05) the content of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber. The maximum crude protein obtained from cowpea (9334) + sorghum Teshale 29.19%), and the minimum crude protein obtained from sole cowpea (9333) (24.38%). Generally, the results of this study showed that intercropping of sorghum-cowpea were increased the productivity of grain yields and biomass yields of sorghum varieties and it increased the nutritional quality of cowpea and sorghum stover. Based on the results of this study, it could be concluded that intercropping sorghum with forage cowpea; preferably sorghum Melkam + cowpea (9333) to be appropriate to increase the productivity and quality of sorghum stover in the study area.