The sesquipedalis subspecies arrived in the United States via Asia. It is characterised by unusually long pods, leading to the Latin name ( sesquipedalis means "foot and a half long") and the common names of yardlong bean, asparagus bean, and Chinese long-bean. [18] A selection of different cowpea cultivars displayed in a wooden bowl. Common names of Vigna unguiculata unguiculata cultivar groups Seed must be inoculated before sowing with the correct strain of inoculant to ensure good nodulation and nitrogen fixation in the soil.

a b Gómez, Carlos (2004). "Cowpea Post-harvest Operations" (PDF). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations . Retrieved 2017-04-19.

Sowing rate

Big Red Ripper’ is a large-seeded cowpea believed to have originated in Arkansas. It’s a vining variety that requires trellising. It produces large red pods filled with an average of 15 seeds per pod. At 140 days for dry peas, ‘Big Red Ripper’ is a long-season variety. These legume crops should be rotated with a grass crop to minimise disease buildup and take advantage of increased soil nitrogen. Forage production

Under dryland conditions, yields of cowpeas have ranged from 500kg dry matter (DM)/ha to over 4000kg DM/ha under favourable conditions. Production per season is usually in the 2000to3000kg DM/ha range. Yields of up to 8000kg DM/ha have been recorded in irrigated areas. They’re also a good source of several important micronutrients, including folate, copper, thiamine, and iron. Cowpeas possess the calcium and phosphorus which is a vital mineral to maintain the strength and structure of bones. Manganese assists in the formation of bones by regulating the enzymes and hormones which is involved in the process of bone metabolism. Phosphorus assists in the mineral density of bones that forbids the bone break, fracture and osteoporosis. To have the healthy bones, it is a must to balance the calcium and phosphorus levels. Cowpeas contains 4% calcium, 38% phosphorus and 35% manganese. The osteoporosis in women is helped with the presence of vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, calcium, copper and boron in cowpea. Windblasting on sandy soils can be a problem, but is almost completely overcome by direct sowing into cereal stubbles or by furrow-sowing seed on 35cm row spacings without covering harrows. When using furrows on sloping country, ensure that sowing is on the contour to prevent erosion. Sowing time Lablab is relatively free of fungal diseases. Ascochyta leaf spot ( Ascochyta phaseolarum) and sclerotinia stem rot ( Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) have been recorded in Queensland. Sclerotinia stem rot can be a major problem in soybeans where crop rotation with resistant crops is not used.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. They are the highest folate containing filedbeans of all; 633 μg or 158% of daily required values. Folate, together with vitamin B-12, is one of the essential co-factor for DNA synthesis and cell division. Adequate folate in the diet around conception According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as of 2012, the average cowpea yield in Western Africa was an estimated 483 kilograms per hectare (431lb/acre), [79] which is still 50% below the estimated potential production yield. [81] In some tradition cropping methods, the yield can be as low as 100 kilograms per hectare (89lb/acre). [21] Another study in 42 women showed that following a low calorie diet enriched with 1 cup of legumes per day for 6 weeks significantly reduced waist circumference and triglyceride and blood pressue levels, compared with a control group ( 13). M. vitrata causes the most damage to the growing cowpea due to their large host range and cosmopolitan distribution. [44] It causes damage to the flower buds, flowers, and pods of the plant, with infestations resulting in a 20–88% loss of yield. [44] While the insect can cause damage through all growth stages, most of the damage occurs during flowering. [44] Biological control has had limited success, so most preventive methods rely on the use of agrichemicals. Genetically modified cowpeas has been developed to express the cry protein from Bacillus thuringiensis, which is toxic to lepidopteran species including the maruca. [45] BT Cowpea was commercialised in Nigeria in 2019. [46] Cowpea weevil ( Callosobruchus maculatus) infests stored cowpea seeds, resulting in major postharvest losses.