Cowpea (Pzgna unguiculata) is grown as an intercrop with cereals in some 9 M ha of West Africa, mostly in the dry savanna. Though grain yields are low (circa 500 kg/ha), it is a nutritious food and dry season fodder. The haulms (leaves and stems) are cut and stored after grain harvest. Cowpea aid...
Tarawali, Shirley A.
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Okike, I.
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Kristjanson, Patricia M.
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Singh, B.B.
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[Dual-purpose cowpea for West Africa]
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Dual-purpose cowpea for West Africa
In the moist savanna zone with a 180 to 190 day growing period, early season cowpea immediately followed by a late season cereal crop can maximize the benefit of the legume to the cereal. Traditional cereal crops for this system are millet and sorghum but new early maize varieties can also be use...
Carsky, R.J.
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Singh, B.B.
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Oyewole, B.
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[Contribution of early season cowpea to late season maize in the savanna zone of West Africa]
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Contribution of early season cowpea to late season maize in the savanna zone of West Africa
The average productivity of cowpea in the existing traditional systems is low due to a complex of biotic
and abiotic stresses. The biotic factors include insect pests, parasitic plants, and viral, fungal and
bacterial diseases. Concerted efforts are being made to develop improved cowpea varieties...
Ajeigbe, Hakeem A.
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Singh, B.B.
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Emechebe, A.M.
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[Field evaluation of improved cowpea lines for resistance to bacterial blight, virus and striga under natural infestation in the West African savannas]
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Field evaluation of improved cowpea lines for resistance to bacterial blight, virus and striga under natural infestation in the West African savannas
The most damaging storage pest in cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] is Callosobruchus maculatus (F.), commonly known bruchid. Therefore, concerted efforts are being made at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to develop bruchid-resistant cowpea varieties. By systematic s...
A preliminary trial was conducted to determine if there were variabilities in seedling morphology of selected cowpea varieties and determine their heritability with aim that this could be used in future cowpea breeding for selection at seedling stage. The characters studied include hypocotyl, epi...
Ajeigbe, Hakeem A.
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Ewansiha, S.U.
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Singh, B.B.
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[Preliminary evaluation of genetic variability for seedling morphology among selected varieties of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]]
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Preliminary evaluation of genetic variability for seedling morphology among selected varieties of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]
The cowpea breeding programmes are reviewed and achievements at two major centres of cowpea research, i.e. IITA (Nigeria) and IARI (India), are summarized. Earlyand extra early genotypes are always photoperiod-insensitive, medium maturity varieties could be sensitive or neutral today length, whil...
The line TVx1948-01F gave the best combination of high grain yield and high yield of fresh leaves for human consumption and fodder. Generally, lower total fresh leaf yields were associated with early to medium flowering and high total pod and total grain yields.
Akundabweni, L.S.
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Peter-Paul, C.
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Singh, B.B.
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[Evaluation of elite lines of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) for leaf/fodder plus grain (i.e., dual purpose)]
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Evaluation of elite lines of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) for leaf/fodder plus grain (i.e., dual purpose)
Food production in West Africa has not been keeping pace with the population growth because the bulk of the agriculture in this region is still based on traditional inter-cropping systems with little or no application of fertilizers and chemicals. The average use of fertilizers in West Africa is ...
Singh, B.B.
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Ajeigbe, Hakeem A.
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[Improved cowpea-cereals-based cropping systems for household food security and poverty reduction in West Africa]
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Improved cowpea-cereals-based cropping systems for household food security and poverty reduction in West Africa
Striga gesnerioides is a serious parasite of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) on the Abomey plateau of southern Bénin. S. gesnerioides in southern Bénin has been characterized as a race that is different from those found in the dry savanna of West Africa. IITA breeding line IT93KZ-4-5-6-1-5 was used in...
Carsky, R.J.
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Akakpo, C.
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Singh, B.B.
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Detongnon, J.
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[Cowpea yield gain from resistance to Striga gesnerioides parasitism in southern Benin]
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Cowpea yield gain from resistance to Striga gesnerioides parasitism in southern Benin