EFFECT OF INTERCROPPING SESAME (SESAMUM INDICUM L.) AND COWPEA (VIGNA UNGUICULATA L.) ON THEIR AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE UNDER RAINFED CONDITIONS IN BAMBEY, SENEGAL

In a context of crop diversification and land scarcity, intercropping remains a viable solution for producers to satisfy their food and income needs. Crop association of sesame with cowpea is not practised in Senegalese farming systems. However, this system could improve land-use efficiency under rain-fed conditions, in the same way as associations of cereals and legumes. The aim of this experimentation is to investigate the effect of intercropping sesame with this traditional crop of Senegals groundnut-growing region, The study was carried out during the 2021 and 2022 rainy seasons in Bambey, in the north-central part of Senegals groundnut-growing region. It focuses on a single factor : intercropping, with three (3) treatments : sesame as a single crop (T1), cowpea as a single crop (T2) and a sesame-cowpea intercrop (T3). A randomised complete block design (Fischer blocks) with three (3) replicates is used. The variables measured mainly concerned growth parameters, yields and their components, which were used to calculate biological indicators such as LER, LEC and the percentages of land area saved (%LS). For each variable, the effects of the factor were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were compared using the LSD test at the 5% significance level with R Studio IDE software version 2026.07.1.