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Bean, Pea Bean, Snake Bean (Australia), Dolique Geánt, etc, grown mainly for its
green pods.Cowpeas were probably first domesticated in Ethiopia 5–6000 years ago and to
this day the largest range of different wild and cultivated cowpea types are still
found there. From here it was taken in the earliest days to West Africa (some argue
that in fact the cowpea was first domesticated in West Africa), and to North and
West India, from where it developed various forms as it was selected for its
adaptation to different growing conditions and the food needs of man.
Cowpeas are now widely distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics,
grown both for dry seed and green pods. They are a valuable protein source (c. 22%)
for subsistence farmers in many semi-arid parts of Africa and Asia. They enrich the
soil by fixing Nitrogen at up to 245 kg per hectare.
Cowpeas have enormous potential as a food legume in the semi-arid to sub-
humid tropics, if disease and insect attack can be controlled.
The vast majority of cowpeas are grown in Africa, and some are also grown in
Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, southern North America and the lowlands and
coastal areas of South and Central America. Global production in 2004 was
estimated by FAO at about 3.9 million MT.PLANTING
Propagation: by seed. Germination is rapid above about 65F. Seed weight is about
60lb/bushel. Can be stored at 12% for short term, but 8–9% is recommended for
longer term, or for warm and/or humid storage conditions.
Soil: a wide range is tolerated if they are well drained. Saline soils are not tolerated.
Optimum pH is 5.5–6.5, though it can tolerate even greater acidity.The number of cowpea seeds per kilogram varies between about 4000 and 10,000.
3000–4000 per pound is normal.
Seed spacing: very variable. Very often 2 or 3 seeds are planted on hills, about 50 cm
apart for early, erect varieties and wider for late or spreading varieties. Cowpeas are
not normally planted in pure stand but are intercropped with cereals or other crops.
Since the earliest days man has observed the beneficial effects of growing
cowpeas (and other legumes) intercropped together with sorghum, millets and so on.
Depth: 2–5 cm
Inoculation: this can be worthwhile if well-nodulated cowpeas have not grown
recently (1Fe).Vigna sesquipedalis (Syn. V. sinensis var. sesquipedalis, Dolichus sesquipedalis)
the Long Bean, Snake Bean, Asparagus Bean or Pea, Yardlong Bean, Bodi
°
Seed rate: for seed, 17–28 kg/ha when monocropped, 22–33 kg/ha when inter-
cropped. For forage, 50–100 kg/ha.