The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an annual herbaceous legume from the genus Vigna. Its tolerance for sandy soil and low rainfall have made it an important crop in the semiarid regions across Africa and Asia. It requires very few inputs, as the plant's root nodules are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen, making it a valuable crop for resource-poor farmers and well-suited to intercropping with other crops. The whole plant is used as forage for animals, with its use as cattle feed likely responsible for its name.
Four subspecies of cowpeas are recognised, of which three are cultivated. A high level of morphological diversity is found within the species with large variations in the size, shape, and structure of the plant. Cowpeas can be erect, semierect (trailing), or climbing. The crop is mainly grown for its seeds, which are high in protein, although the leaves and immature seed pods can also be consumed.
Cowpeas were domesticated in Africa[4] and are one of the oldest crops to be farmed. A second domestication event probably occurred in Asia, before they spread into Europe and the Americas. The seeds are usually cooked and made into stews and curries, or ground into flour or paste.
Most cowpeas are grown on the African continent, particularly in Nigeria and Niger, which account for 66% of world production. A 1997 estimate suggests that cowpeas are cultivated on 12.5 million hectares (31 million acres) of land, have a worldwide production of 3 million tonnes and are consumed by 200 million people on a daily basis.[5] Insect infestation is a major constraint to the production of cowpea, sometimes causing over 90% loss in yield.[6] The legume pod borer Maruca vitrata is the main preharvest pest of the cowpea and the cowpea weevil Callosobruchus maculatus the main postharvest pest.
^"The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species".
^"International Plant Names Index, entry for Vigna sinensis".
^"International Plant Names Index, entry for Pl. Jav. Rar. (Hasskarl)".
^Cite error: The named reference postharvest was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Singh 1997 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an annual herbaceous legume from the genus Vigna. Its tolerance for sandy soil and low rainfall have made it an important...
the green bean. It is also known as: yardlong bean, pea bean, long-podded cowpea, Chinese long bean, snake bean, bodi, and bora. Despite the common name...
seeds. They use hermetic storage technology to reduce loss of post-harvest cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) due to orchid infestations in West and Central Africa...
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Vigna luteola, commonly known as the hairy cowpea and the Nile bean, is a perennial vine found in many tropical areas. Vigna luteola is widely known in...
Sea Island red pea is an heirloom landrace of cowpea from the Gullah corridor of the Sea Islands. They are an integral part of Gullah cuisine and have...
Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus, known by the abbreviation CCMV, is a virus that specifically infects the cowpea plant, or black-eyed pea. The leaves of...
Chalcodermus aeneus, the cowpea curculio, is a species of true weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae. "Chalcodermus aeneus Report". Integrated Taxonomic...
species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name Oahu cowpea. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known from seven small populations...
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a major crop here and so cowpea pests and diseases are a significant concern for the country. As of 2022[update] cowpea...
vitrata is a pantropical insect pest of leguminous crops like pigeon pea, cowpea, mung bean and soybean. Its common names include the maruca pod borer, bean...
Callosobruchus maculatus is a species of beetles known commonly as the cowpea weevil or cowpea seed beetle. It is a member of the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae...
edible seeds from the Fabaceae such as the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), the seeds from several species of Lathyrus and is used...
Heterodera cajani (Pigeonpea cyst nematode, Cowpea cyst nematode) is a plant pathogenic nematode affecting pigeonpeas, which is cited as an invasive species...
variety of cowpea popular in the Carolinas, although prevalent throughout most of the American south. The centre of diversity of the cultivated cowpea is West...
and a perennial plant. Also known as the beach pea, nanea, and notched cowpea, it is a species of legume in the family Fabaceae. The genus "Vigna" is...
shortening due to both. Callosobruchus maculatus, a pest which affects cowpea, is repelled by the essential oil. The essential oil mixed with kaolin is...
donut-like baked or fried dough of wheat flour. Chin chin may contain cowpeas. Many people bake it with ground nutmeg for added flavor. The dough is...
Cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV) is a plant pathogenic virus of the family Betaflexiviridae that infects yardlong beans, soybeans[citation needed] and...
niger, Mucuna and Stizolobium deeringianum [Mucuna pruriens] [2]. It causes cowpea cercospora leaf spot, one of the most widespread and significant plant diseases...
flowering stage where the larvae form webs combining flowers and leaves. Cowpea aphid sucks plant sap that causes loss of plant vigor and may lead to yellowing...
Myanmar; and 13,524 tonnes from Malaysia. Aphis craccivora is a pest of cowpea. Thailand has a raw milk production capacity of 2,800 tonnes a day, or just...
plantings of sweet potatoes or legumes, such as peanuts, soybeans and cowpeas. These crops both restored nitrogen to the soil and were good for human...
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