Abstract
The effect of planting density on the seed yield of a number of cowpea cultivars planted in the early and late wet season of 1982 in Trinidad was examined. Seed yield, averaged over all cultivars in the early wet season planting, was 47% less than the 1962 kg ha-1 in the late wet season planting. In the latter experiment, where 18 cultivars were evaluated, the cultivar x density interaction was highly significant (P < 0.01) and eight cultivars had an apparently linear seed yield response to density between 40 000 and 250 000 plants ha-1. Four cultivars showed no significant response to density; the others had maximum seed yield at a planting density of 160 000 plants ha-1. Cultivar differences in seed size and earliness to maturity were noted and the significance of these traits in relation to acceptability and late wet/dry season cowpea production in Trinidad is discussed.
