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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Charleston, South Carolina » Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #132109
Title: DEVELOPMENT OF COWPEA CULTIVARS AND GERMPLASM

Author
item HALL, ANTHONY - UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA
item CISSE, NDIAGA - BAMBEY, SENEGAL
item THIAW, SAMBA - BAMBEY, SENEGAL
item ELAWAD, HASSAN - EL OBEID, SUDAN
item EHLERS, JEFFREY - UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA
item ISMAIL, ABDELBAGI - MANILA, PHILIPPINES
item Fery, Richard
item ROBERTS, PHILIP - UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA
item KITCH, LAURIE - HARARE, ZIMBABWE
item MURDOCK, LARRY - PURDUE UNIV.

Submitted to: Field Crops Research
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2002
Publication Date: 3/20/2003
Citation: HALL, A.E., CISSE, N., THIAW, S., ELAWAD, H.O., EHLERS, J.D., ISMAIL, A.M., FERY, R.L., ROBERTS, P.A., KITCH, L.W., MURDOCK, L.L. DEVELOPMENT OF COWPEA CULTIVARS AND GERMPLASM. FIELD CROPS RESEARCH. 2003. v.82.p.103-134.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A review is presented of the accomplishments in cowpea cultivar and germplasm development by the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Bean/Cowpea Collaborative Research Support Program. Drought-adapted, pest and disease resistant cultivars Mouride, Melakh and Ein El Gazal were developed for rain-fed production in the tropical Sahelian zone of Africa. Cultivars CRSP Neibe and Lori Niebe, and advanced germplasm lines Sul 518-2 and ITP-148-1 were developed for rain-fed production in the tropical Savanna zone of West Africa. California Blackeye No. 27, a heat-tolerant cultivar with broad-based resistances to root knot nematodes and Fusarium wilt, was developed for irrigated production of dry grain in the subtropical zone of California. Various cultivars with persistent green seed color, e.g., Bettergreen and Charleston Greenpack, were bred for use in the food freezing industry in the USA. Germplasm lines with snap-type pods, green manure/cover crop capabilities, tolerances to multiple environmental stresses, multiple resistances to diseases and pests, unique physiological traits, and various quality traits including all-white grain and sweet grain were developed. These germplasm lines provide a valuable resource for achieving further improvements in cultivars for Africa and the USA.