Background. [23] A pod can contain six to 13 seeds that are usually kidney-shaped, although the seeds become more spherical the more restricted they are within the pod. [32], These characteristics, along with its low fertilisation requirements, make the cowpea an ideal crop for resource-poor farmers living in the Sahel region of West Africa. Some abiotic and biotic stresses adversely affect its productivity. Most cowpeas are grown on the African continent, particularly in Nigeria and Niger, which account for 66% of world production. They are grown mainly for their edible beans. [28] The first written references to the cowpea were in 300 BC and they probably reached Central and North America during the slave trade through the 17th to early 19th centuries. It improves soil fertility because of its ability to fix nitrogen efficiently (up to 240 kg N per hectare) and can leave a fixed- N deposit in the soil of up to 60 – 70 kg/ha for the succecding crop (Rechie, 1985; Kachare, et al.1988). [21] Flower colour varies through different shades of purple, pink, yellow, and white and blue. In bad infestations, insect pressure is responsible for over 90% loss in yield. [64] They also use the cowpea paste as a supplement in infant formula when weaning babies off milk. 1.1 Background of the Study Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L).Walp) is a tropical grain legume widely grown in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Asia, parts of the United States and Southern Europe (Singh et al., It grows best in regions with an annual rainfall between 400 and 700 mm (16 and 28 in). BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY. Niger is the main exporter of cowpeas and Nigeria the main importer. [12][15], The first written reference of the word 'cowpea' appeared in 1798 in the United States. Cowpea is a legume that is extensively grown throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The ideal soils are sandy and it has better tolerance for infertile and acid soil than most other crops. [74], This appears to be one of the latest taxonomical classifications, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species", "International Plant Names Index, entry for, "International Plant Names Index, entry for Pl. It is grown on more than 12.5 million hectares of largely smallholder farms, with an estimated production of more than 3 million metric tonnes. A review of the genetics, genomics and breeding of cowpea … [62] Although little research has been conducted on the nutritional value of the leaves and immature pods, what is available suggests that the leaves have a similar nutritional value to black nightshade and sweet potato leaves, while the green pods have less antinutritional factors than the dried seeds. Background: Cowpea is a highly inbred crop. [53] Drought lowers the growth rate and development, ultimately reducing yield, although cowpea is considered more drought tolerant than most other crops. The . Increase in vegetable protein, vitamin and soluble carbohydrates supply from cowpea in malnourished areas presents a less difficult, less expensive and more energy efficient solution. Four subspecies of cowpeas are recognised, of which three are cultivated. Warm season mixes may also simply outcompete cowpea, specifically warm season grasses such as millet and sorghum-sudangrass. Background Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., is a highly important grain legume crop grown in semi-arid and dry savannah agro-ecological zones of the tropics. Productivity of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] in sub-Sahara Africa is curtailed by a lack of farmer-preferred and improved cultivars and modern production technologies. One peduncle can support four or more seed pods. conten t ranged f rom 23 to 32% of seed weight (Nielson et al. [34], Storage of the seeds can be problematic in Africa due to potential infestation by postharvest pests. It is a subsistence crop, often intercropped with sorghum, maize and pearl millet. Cowpeas can be erect, semierect (trailing), or climbing. [12][13] The classification of the wild relatives within V. unguiculata is more complicated, with over 20 different names having been used and between 3 and 10 subgroups described. Background 5 2.1.4. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and moringa (Moringa oleifera) ... the burden of taking care of my kids during the last few months of this study. 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