Ten fast-maturing cowpea lines thrive in Niger's harsh farmland
Abdou S, Iro Sodo AM
Crop Improvement
Farmers in drought-stressed regions get one shot at a harvest before the rains fail, so a bean that matures early and still feeds both people and livestock reliably is the difference between a good year and a hungry one.
Cowpea is a staple bean crop in Niger that also doubles as animal feed, but drought, poor soil, and pests make yields unpredictable from year to year and field to field. Scientists grew 21 cowpea varieties in six different locations and used several statistical tools to figure out which ones consistently produced good yields of both beans and fodder no matter where they were planted. Ten varieties stood out as fast-maturing, reliable performers, making them strong candidates for release to farmers or for breeding even better future varieties.
Key Findings
10 extra-early cowpea lines (including BM22, BP02, BP15, MM142, and 65B5080) combined early maturity with high, stable grain and fodder yields across six test environments.
Environmental effects had the largest influence on yield variation of all factors tested (p < 0.001), more than genotype or genotype-environment interaction.
Heritability was high across traits (0.77-0.88), with genetic advance as percent of mean reaching 81.80% for grain yield and 99.59% for fodder yield, indicating strong potential for breeding gains.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers in Niger tested 21 cowpea varieties across six growing environments and found 10 extra-early lines that reliably deliver both good grain harvests and good animal fodder, even in tough, drought-prone conditions.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Stability of grain and fodder yields in extra-early cowpea genotypes in Southeastern Niger.
Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is a vital food and fodder crop in Niger, but its productivity is constrained by drought, poor soils, striga and pest pressures. Developing extra-early dual-pu...
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