TIKAPUR POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

Council for training education and

vocational Training
Title:cowpea
submitted By:. submitted To:
Rahul chaudhary. : Dhan Raj
Richa chaudhary. karki
Content:
1. Classification
2. Introduction
3. Area of production and trade
4. Important
5. variety
6. climate Requirement
7. soil and land preparation
8. Manuring and fertilization
9. plantating :(time of sowing,seed rate and spacing)
10.Irrigation
11.Harvesting and yield
12.Insect and disease
1.Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order:Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Sub-family: Faboideae
Genus :Vigna
Species: unguiculata
2.Introductuon:
It is originated and was domesticated in Southern Africa and
was later moved to East and West Africa and
Asia.cowpea(Vigna unguiculata) is an annual herbaceous
legume from the genus Vigna. Due to its tolerance for sandy
soil and low rainfall, it is an important crop in the semiarid
regions across Africa and Asia. It requires very few inputs, as
the plant's root nodules are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen,
making it a valuable crop for resource-poor farmers and well-
suited to intercropping with other crops. The whole plant is
used as forage for animals, with its use as cattle feed likely
responsible for its name.
3.Area of production and trade
Its area and production are in increasing trend.Itisone of the
important summer grainle gumes of Nepal and is grown in
marginal land with little or no inputs. Cowpea is planted as a
sole crop as well as inter/mixed crop maize. It is being grown in
for Terai to mid hills for various purposes such as vegetables,
dhal and green manuring.In nepal it is cultivated in a total area
of 4709 ha of land .the annual production is 39407 metric tons
and the average yield is 8 mt per ha.the major cowpea
production district are Banke,Dailekh,saptari,Bara,
khotang,Sarlahi,kaski,Bhaktapur,Chitwan,kapilvastu etc.
4.Importance
Cowpea's high protein content, its
adaptability to different types of soil and
intercropping systems, its resistance to
drought, and its ability to improve soil fertility
and prevent erosion makes it an important
economic crop in many developing
regions.They are excellent sources of
dietary fiber, protein, B vitamins and many
other important vitamins and minerals.
There is good evidence that they can help
reduce blood sugar, improve cholesterol
levels and help maintain a healthy gut.The
nutrients Composit ion in cowpea callcium
2%,Iron 13% ,Vitamin B65%,Magnesium
5.Variety
1.ploe type
(a). Khumal Tane: Recommended for mid hills &
Terai of Nepal. (50-60 cm long.it is ready to harvest
in 60-70 days after sowing.the average yield of this
variety is 4.5 metric tons per ha.
(b). Sarlahi Tane: Recommended for mid hills & Terai
of Nepal. 25-30 cm long .and it ready to harvest after
50-60 days of sowing and average yield is 7 metric
tons per hectare.
(c). Arka Garima
(d).Yard long Bean
2.Brush type
(a).Prakash: Recommended for Terai & inner-
Terai of Nepal.It is high yielding variety which
produces 1500kg of average yield per ha.
height 25-35 cm.
(b).Akash: Recommended for Terai & inner-
Terai of Nepal.The average yield 900-1000kg
per hactare.
(c).Pusa Phalungi
(d).Pusa dofasli
(e).sila 464
(f).chandra 041
(g).karma stickless
(h).N-o324
6.climetiic Requirement
Cowpea is a summer/rainy and spring season crop.Cowpea is hardy &
drought tolerant crop but it is susceptible to cold weather. It is warm
season crop with temperature range of 21-35 degree Celsius.
Cultivars grown for immature pods are known as Yard long bean,
Asparagus bean, Bodi bean, snake bean. When temperature
increases above 35degree or below 15 degree Celsius, growth,
flowering & fruiting are drastically reduced.
7.Soil and land preparation
It can be grown in all types of soil having pH range of 6.0-7.5. well drained,
humus rich sandy soils are best for cowpea. It cannot withstand heavy
rainfall & water logging condition. So, drainage facility must be
maintained.Well drained loam or slightly heavy soil are best suited. In
colder climate somewhat sandy soil.preferred as crop mature earlier in
them. It can grow successfully in acidic soil but not in saline/alkaline soil. In
hard soil, one deep ploughing followed by two or three harrowing and
planking are sufficient. In normal soil only two harrowing & planking is
enough. For summer season crop give a irrigation immediately after
harvesting of Rabi crop.the land preparation by deeply ploughing (2-3time)
followed by harrowing and leveling the soil.the field is made frre of weeds
seeds stubbles,plant debris
8.planting
a.Time of sowing
cowpea can be sown as inter cultural with maize plant in the field or it can
be sown as single crop .the time of sowing depend upon climetic factors
and geographical factor of place.

Grographical. sowing time

Region
1.High hill. march-April, January-April

2.Mid-hil. july-August, summer mid Feb-march

3.Terai. Rainy mid ,june-july

b.Method of sowing:
Sowing of cowpea is done by broadcasting, line sowing and dibbling of
seeds based on the their purpose and season. Line sowing has been
better over broadcasting method of sowing. However, for fodder and green
manure crop broadcasting method considered better .In high rainfall area,
formed 30 cm wide and 15 cm deep drainage channel at every 2 meter
interval to drain excess rain water. Sowing of seed a depth of 3-5 cm

c.spacing
Row to row—30 to 45 cm,
Plant to Plant-10 to 15 cm.

d.seed rate
For pure crop - 20 - 25 Kg.ha (grain)
For fodder and Green Manure - 30 - 35 kg./ha.
During summer 30 kg/ha for grain and 4 - kg/ha fodder and green manure
e.seed Treatment
Treat the seed with Thirum (2gm.) +Carbendazim (1gm.).
It is also desirable to treat the seed with
Rhizobium culture @10g/kg seed.

9.Manure and Fertilizer

Apply FYM/compost - 5 - 10 t/ha as basal with last ploughing. 4 kg
Nitrogen/ ropani as starter dose in poor soils, 6 kg/ropani
Phosphorus and 2 kg.potassium/ropani . Phosphorus and
potassic fertilizer should be give according to soil test value.
10.Intercultural operation
For higher yield crop should be free from weed upto 25 to 30
day crop stage No weeding is given this crop. It covers the
land very soon and kill the weeds by smoothing. Application of
pendimethaline @ 0.75 - 1 kg.a.i./ha combined with one hand
weeding at 35 days after sowing is beneficial.
11.Irrigation
For summer crop, irrigation is most critical among all inputs followed by
weeding and fertilizer. Generally, crop required 5 - 6 irrigation
depending on soil, prevailing weather conditions etc, at an interval of
10-15 days. The response to irrigation is in order of flowering> pod
filling>vegetative. Crop can tolerate flooding upto 2 days at flowering
and pod setting thereafter, a marked decrease in yield and its attribute.
11.Insect And Disease

A.Insect
Damges
a.pod borer(Heliothes armigera,) कोषको गभारो
 The eggs are laid individually or in small batches
on flowers or flower buds.
 They feed on the surface of the pod and then the
seed of the pods.
 They damage the quality and yield of the crops.
 Young larvae may feed on any part of the flower
or foliage, but later-instar larvae are more commo
in pods.
control measure
 Follow crop management properly.
 chemical control by spraying of carbaryl @
2ml per litre of water.
 Mix thiodane @ 5-6 ml per litre of water and
spray at interval of 15 days.
 Collect and destroy the eggs and young larvae.

b.Hairy caterpillar (Ascotis impariata) झुसिलकिरा

 It is major insect of cowpea.
 The larvae mainly damage the leaves by feeding on them .
 The leaves are all eaten and only the veins remain ,giving them a
skeletonized appearance.
control measures
 collect and destroy the caterpillar cocoon and
egg clustur in minor cases
 Adult moth can be contolled by using light traps.
 spray neem oil.

C.Stem fly.(ophiomyia phaseoli)

Damge
 The larvea of this fly make holes and enter into the stem of plants.
 As a result the plants ultimately dry.
 The injured regions turn yellow.
 The adults also cause damage by
puncturing leaves.

control measures
 Apply proper management of the crops in the
field . gbjj
 use carbofuron 3G @25 kg per hectare to
incorporate into the soil before sowing.
 neem seed kernel extract 5% or 2% neem
seed oil emulsion plus garlic extract.
 Spray Hyptis suaveolens extract plus soap
solutiondiluted in water. This is very effective
in managingthe adults.
D. Bean weevil(Brushus sp.
Damge
 It can be effect the seeds kept in storage.
 It damage the quality of grain/seed and
make them unfit for sowing and consumption.
 Leaf notching around the leaf margins

control measures
 The grain should be stored in an isolated place
where there is less or no chance of attack by weevil.
 Fumigation of the materials under air tight condition
with celphos or phosfume tablets can be control
attack of disease

E.Aphid (Aphis craccivora) and Jassid(Amrasca kerri)
Damges
 These both insect both suck the sap from the
tender parts of the plant.
 However, in attack of jassids the margin of
leaves start yellowing and finally culing occur.
 Aphit cause various fungel and viral disease in
plant
 In attack cases of both insect the plant losses
quality and quantity of yield

control measures
 chemical control of both aphid and jassid by spraying
 Release lady bird beetle a single lady bird beetle can feed upon 50-
60 aphid per day or more
 Brush the aphid into a pot containing mixture of kerosene and
water .The aphids will be killed when they fall in that mixture
 By using yellow trap.
2.Disease
a.Anthracnose(काेगे रोग)
symptom
 It is cause by colletotrichum lindemuthianum.
 Dark streaking of veins on the under surface of a
French bean leaf caused by C. lindemuthianum.
 Sunken, black circular to elliptical lesions of
anthracnose on a cowpea stem.
 yellow to brown lesions on seed, which may be
underdeveloped and produce poor germination.
 It is seed born diesase.
 The infected stem finally crack and rot.
control measures
 use healthy and disease free seedling.
 Treatment of seed with captan @3 g per kg of seed before sowing.
 use resistance varieties.
 Plant your plants in well-drained soil. You can also enrich the soil with
compost in order to help plants resist diseases.

b.leaf spot( थोप्ले रोग)

symptom
 It is caused by a fungus cercospora cruent.
 lesion formation initially occur on older leaves before progressing to
newer ones.
 appear light gray-colored to dark tan with a brown to purple border.
 Leaf spot shapes also vary greatly, but usually
are oval, oblong, or round.

control measures
 use disease free healthy seeds only.
 Follow ctop rotation.
 spray the crop with Bavistin 0.05% or
Dithane M-45 (0.25%) at interval of 8-10
days for 2-3 times.
C.Mosaic.गुजमुजे रोग
Symptoms
 There are different types of mosaic in different beans.
 First symptoms of mosaic is seen on the leaves in general as
discoloration irregular coloration and malformation of leaves
 The vector may be white fly an aphid.
 Affected plants may also show growth
reduction.

control measures
 use resistance variety
 Remove the infected plants from the field and
burn them or bury them in isolation.
 Apply per hectare in the soil at the time of sowing.
d.Die back. टुप्पोबाट सुख्ने रोग
symptoms
 It is cause by colletotrichum capsici.
 The plant dies starting from the tip and spreading downward.
 On the dried portion small blck dot like structure is seen.
 The quality. and quantity of the pods in
infected plants become damaged.
Control measures
 phyto-sanitary measures should be applied.
 Remove and destroy the infected plants from
the field.
 spraying of copper fungicide or thiram at
interval of 15 days can control the disease from spreading.
e.Rust.( सिन्दुरे)
symptoms
 It is cause by fungus uromyces appendiculatus
 At first small dark brown and raised spots appear
on the lower surface of the leaves.
 The dusease development is higher during high
humidity.
 Pustules can be orange, yellow, brown, black or
white.
 In extreme cases, rust infection can even kill the
plant.
control measures
 Follow crop rotation
 use of resistant or tolerant varieties of crop.
 mix thiram or Bavistin @ 2g per liter of water and uniformly spray at
the interval of 10-15 days

f.powdery mildew
symptoms
 At first white powdery mass appear on
the surfaces.
 white to greyish powder like spots on
stems, leaves and small branches.
 The leaves are severely damaged and
they will fall.
 Infected leaves curl and become distorted.
control measures
 Grow resistant varieties
 Avoid excess moisture in the field
 Apply sprinkle irrigation but provide proper drainage in the field.
 Spraying 0.5%. wettable Sulphur or sparying of Bavistin 0.15%
will help to control the disease.

g. Bacterial Blight
 It is cause by Xanthomonas vignicola,X.phaseoli.
 If affects the seedling stage of the crop.
 The infected leaves show yellow irrigular to circular spots with
necrotic center.
 Later,the color change to staw color.
control measures
 use disease free and healthy seeds
 Use resistant varieties and follow strict crop rotation
 soak the seeds in the mixture of streptocycline @1 g for 4 hours
before sowing.
 Use balanced amounts of plant nutrients, especially nitrogen.
 Ensure good drainage of fields (in conventionally flooded crops)
and nurseries.