Cowpea for a changing environment in the rainforest of South-South Nigeria

Abstract

The introduction and use of appropriate cowpea varieties in south-south Nigeria may contribute to increased food security, especially in the context of the changing climate and desert encroachment in the country. In the context of evaluating diverse cowpea varieties for the changing environment, the present study involved the evaluation of 94 varieties of cowpea in 2013 and 2014 at Benin City in the rainforest of south-south Nigeria to identify varieties with the potential to contribute to grain or forage production and those with the potential for dual-purpose/multiple use. Grain yields of 0.5–2.0 t ha^-1 and biomass (fodder) of 0.9–4.4 t ha^-1 were obtained. Thirty-seven varieties that may contribute to grain production, 20 varieties that may contribute to biomass production and 13 varieties with potential for both grain and biomass production were identified. The observed potential to contribute to grain production, feed for livestock and crop residues for soil nitrogen improvement suggests cowpea may be a desirable option for use in mitigating the effect of climate change in the context of shift in crops and animals that can be produced in an environment that is changing.

Keywords: Climate change, cowpea, grain yield, biomass, south-south Nigeria