Cowpea 12

Floral biology and breeding techniques

1. Cowpea

2. INTRODUCTION
Common Name:Cowpea; Black-eyed bean,
Horse bean, Black-eyed pea, Southern
pea, Yard long bean, Asparagus bean.
Scientific Name:Vigna ungiculata
Chromosome number:2n=2x=22

3. ORIGIN
Primary center of origin: Africa
Secondary center of origin: India, china.
Place of domestication:Ethiopia, Central,
south, and west Africa and India.

4. Area covered
7 million. ha (world)
5 lakh. ha (India)

6. TAXONOMY
Kingdom : Plantae
Class : Dicotyledon
Sub-class : Polypetalous
Order : Rosales
Family : Fabaceae
Sub Family :Papiloinaceae
Genus : Vigna
Species : Unguiculata

7. Nutrient content of mature
cowpea seed
Protein 24.8%
Fat 1.9%
Fiber 6.3%
Carbohydrate 63.6%
Thiamine 0.00074%
Riboflavin 0.00042%
Niacin 0.00281%

8. Growth Habits:
Cowpea is a warm-season, annual, herbaceous
legume. Plant types are often categorized as
erect, semi-erect, prostrate (trailing), or climbing.
There is much variability within the species.
Growth habit ranges from indeterminate to fairly
determinate with the non-vining types tending to
be more determinate. Cowpea generally is
strongly taprooted.

9. Growth Habits:
Emergence is epigeal (similar to common bean,
and lupin) where the cotyledons emerge from the
ground during germination.
The trifoliolate leaves develop alternately. Leaves
are smooth, dull to shiny, and rarely pubescent.
Commonly, the terminal leaflet is longer and
larger than the lateral leaflets.
Cowpea generally is day neutral. Flowers are
borne in multiple racemes on 8 to 20 in. flower
stalks (peduncles) that arise from the leaf axil

11. FLORAL BIOLOGY
Inflorescence is an unbranched,
axillary raceme bearing several
flowers at the tip of peduncle.
Flowers are in alternate pairs.
Gamosepalous

13. Corolla is papilionaceous and having
three different kinds of petals such as
standard, wing, and keel.

14. Stamens are diadelphous (9+1)
Anthers are bright yellow.
Anthers are uniform and ovary is
superior with many ovules.

15. FLORAL DIAGRAM AND FLORAL
FORMULA

17. Anthesis
There are 2-3flowering period
Takes 11-14 days for the flowers to
develop and bloom.
Flower opening at morning from 6-10 am.
Dehiscence of anther prior to blooming
i.e.; 10 pm-1 am

19. Cytology
oDiploidchromosome number is
2n=2x=22
o11 bivalent complement consists of
1 short(19 micron m.)
7 medium(26-36 micron m.)
3 long(41-45 micron m.)

20. SELFING
Cowpea is being a self pollinated crop it
dose not required any artificial selfing
methods but for the betterment we
generally go for bagging of the mature
flower bud.

21. Crossing
Cowpea flowers are large and showy.
Emasculation carried out in mature flower
bud in preceding evening.
Pollination is done simultaneously or in
next morning from a freshly opened
flowers.

25. Breeding objectives
High green pod yield
High seed yield
High fodder yield
Dual purpose
Appropriate plant type
Resistance to disease
Resistance to insects

26. MAJOR PESTS AND
DISEASES
PESTS: Root-knot nematodes
Aphids
Green stink bugs
Podborer
DISEASES: Root rot
Damping off
Southern blight
Fusarium wilt

27. Varieties
KBC-2(13 q/ha),
IT-38956-1(12.5 q/ha)
KM-5(12 q/ha)
PKB-4
AV-5

28. SOURCE:
Breeding of field crops by V L Chopra
Breeding of field crops by B D Singh
http://www.fao.org/inpho/content/compend/tex
t/ch32/ch32_01.htm
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/cow
pea.html