High-yielding short-duration bush cowpea

By Our Agriculture Correspondent

SCIENTISTS AT the department of Olericulture in the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara in Kerala, have developed a bush-type vegetable cowpea with high yield potential.

The Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has released the short- duration variety, christened "Bhagyalakshmi", for commercial cultivation.

A selection from the germplasm introductions from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria, the improved variety has recorded an average yield of 6.48 tonnes of fresh pods per hectare. It is found to be highly resistant to anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. However, it is susceptible to other common diseases and pests that attack the cowpea.

"Bhagyalakshmi" vegetable cowpea is of dwarf bushy type, and it takes about 41 days for flower initiation. The flowers are white and the bold pods are filled with big beans.

In about 48 days, the first harvest can be had. The light green pods grow to about 30 cm in length, and will weigh 7-13 g each. In a cluster, there will be two to four pods, and each plant will yield 70-90 pods.

The improved variety can be grown all through the year. It responds well to sound crop management practices. Liberal quantities of organic amendments and biofertilizers should be added to get handsome rewards from the crop. A spacing of 20 cm x 30 cm is recommended for raising this bush-type cowpea. About 25 kg seeds will be required to cover a hectare.

The crop can be raised to good health by following eco-friendly integrated plant protection strategies. It can be grown as a fringe crop in rice fields as well.

Ideally suited for the warm humid tropics of Kerala, this variety has been found to do particularly well in Thrissur, Palakkad and Ernakulam districts, which form the Central Zone. It was recommended for released by the Zonal Research and Extension Advisory Committee meeting held at the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Pattambi, in June 1998. It has been well received by growers and consumers because of its attractive long pods with bold beans, and good cooking characteristics.

Cowpea forms an important component of cropping system in Kerala. It is a multi-season and multi-purpose crop, which can fit into a variety of mixed farming systems.

The growers in Kerala have felt the need for a short-duration bushy variety of cowpea, which will fetch premium price due to their early arrival in the market. This promising variety will go a long way in fulfilling the long felt needs of the growers.

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Section  : Science & Tech
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