Water stress impaired cowpea plant growth and decreased ion percentage and chlorophyll and
carbohydrate concentration in the shoot as well as yield and its quality. Foliar-applied chitosan, in
particular 250 mg/l, increased plant growth, yield and its quality as well as physiological
constituents in plant shoot under stressed or nonstressed conditions as compared to untreated
plants. Anatomically, water stress decreased thickness of leaf blade at midrib region, thickness of
mesophyll tissue, thickness of midrib vascular bundle. Treatment with chitosan, in particular, 250
mg/l and their interactions with stress conditions increased all the above mentioned parameters in
either non-stressed or stressed plants. It is suggested that the severity of cowpea plants damaged
from water stress was reduced by 250 mg/l chitosan application.