Department of Agriculture, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Mail Slot 4913, 1200 North University Drive, Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601. Fax (870) 575–4629.
*Corresponding author. Tel: 1-870-575-8196 Fax: 1-870-575-4629
Recent surge in fresh cowpea seed consumption in the United States has resulted in the search for appropriate cultivars for fresh seed production. Consequently, four cowpea cultivars, “Coronet, Quick Pick, Early Scarlet and Excel Select” were identified and evaluated for fresh seed production potentials. The three year (2000, 2001 and 2006) research data indicate that the four cultivars could be designated as major cowpea cultivars for fresh seed production. However, the cultivar, “Early Scarlet” is the most consistent with respect to high seed yields. Our studies also reveal that annual fresh cowpea seed harvest of between 824.7 and 2166.8 kg ha−1 is very feasible, and at a current market price of $5 kg−1 of fresh seed, fresh cowpea production stands as a profitable agribusiness for farmers in the United States and elsewhere in the world. There is no direct link between high seed yield and earliness in flowering among the cultivars. Indeed, flowering date is negatively correlated with fresh and dry seed yields. These results are discussed in this paper.
Cowpea, evaluation, fresh seed, Vigna unguiculata, yield
