Cowpea is a warm-season legume originating from Africa. It is an important food crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions. Cowpea has a diploid chromosome number of 22 and is self-pollinated. Major varieties grown in India include KBC-2, IT-38956-1, and KM-5. Breeding objectives focus on increasing yield, resistance to diseases and insects, and developing dual-purpose varieties.

1. Cowpea

2. INTRODUCTION
Common Name :Cowpea; Black-eyed bean,
Horse bean, Black-eyed pea, Southern
pea, Yard long bean, Asparagus bean.
Scientific Name :Vigna ungiculata
Chromosome number :2n=2x=22

3. ORIGIN
Primary center of origin : Africa
Secondary center of origin : India, china.
Place of domestication :Ethiopia, Central,
south, and west Africa and India.

4. Area covered
 7 million. ha (world)
 5 lakh. ha (India)

6. TAXONOMY
Kingdom : Plantae
Class : Dicotyledon
Sub-class : Polypetalous
Order : Rosales
Family : Fabaceae
Sub Family :Papiloinaceae
Genus : Vigna
Species : Unguiculata

7. Nutrient content of mature
cowpea seed
Protein 24.8%
Fat 1.9%
Fiber 6.3%
Carbohydrate 63.6%
Thiamine 0.00074%
Riboflavin 0.00042%
Niacin 0.00281%

8. Growth Habits:
 Cowpea is a warm-season, annual, herbaceous
legume. Plant types are often categorized as
erect, semi-erect, prostrate (trailing), or climbing.
There is much variability within the species.
Growth habit ranges from indeterminate to fairly
determinate with the non-vining types tending to
be more determinate. Cowpea generally is
strongly taprooted.

9. Growth Habits:
 Emergence is epigeal (similar to common bean,
and lupin) where the cotyledons emerge from the
ground during germination.
 The trifoliolate leaves develop alternately. Leaves
are smooth, dull to shiny, and rarely pubescent.
Commonly, the terminal leaflet is longer and
larger than the lateral leaflets.
 Cowpea generally is day neutral. Flowers are
borne in multiple racemes on 8 to 20 in. flower
stalks (peduncles) that arise from the leaf axil

11. FLORAL BIOLOGY
 Inflorescence is an unbranched,
axillary raceme bearing several
flowers at the tip of peduncle.
Flowers are in alternate pairs.
Gamosepalous

13. Corolla is papilionaceous and having
three different kinds of petals such as
standard, wing, and keel.

14. Stamens are diadelphous (9+1)
Anthers are bright yellow.
Anthers are uniform and ovary is
superior with many ovules.

15. FLORAL DIAGRAM AND FLORAL
FORMULA

17. Anthesis
There are 2-3 flowering period
Takes 11-14 days for the flowers to
develop and bloom.
Flower opening at morning from 6-10 am.
Dehiscence of anther prior to blooming
i.e.; 10 pm-1 am

19. Cytology
o Diploid chromosome number is
2n=2x=22
o 11 bivalent complement consists of
1 short(19 micron m.)
7 medium(26-36 micron m.)
3 long(41-45 micron m.)

20. SELFING
 Cowpea is being a self pollinated crop it
dose not required any artificial selfing
methods but for the betterment we
generally go for bagging of the mature
flower bud.

21. Crossing
Cowpea flowers are large and showy.
Emasculation carried out in mature flower
bud in preceding evening.
Pollination is done simultaneously or in
next morning from a freshly opened
flowers.

25. Breeding objectives
High green pod yield
High seed yield
High fodder yield
Dual purpose
Appropriate plant type
Resistance to disease
Resistance to insects

26. MAJOR PESTS AND
DISEASES PESTS: Root-knot nematodes
Aphids
Green stink bugs
Podborer
 DISEASES: Root rot
Damping off
Southern blight
Fusarium wilt

27. Varieties
 KBC-2 (13 q/ha),
 IT-38956-1 (12.5 q/ha)
 KM-5 (12 q/ha)
 PKB-4
 AV-5

28. SOURCE:
 Breeding of field crops by V L Chopra
 Breeding of field crops by B D Singh
 http://www.fao.org/inpho/content/compend/tex
t/ch32/ch32_01.htm
 http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/cow
pea.html