Cowpeas is a staple food crop rich in protein and vitamins used as both animal feeds and income generation and similarly leaves eaten as vegetables.
Through following proper cowpea agronomic steps high yields are obtained however it is crucial to spray varieties susceptible to aphids at different times for example at 14 to 21 days after planting this should be followed 10 days after the first spray lastly 10 days after the second spray. Furthermore cowpeas grow best under rain fall between 500mm- 1200mm. Early maturing varieties grow best in rainfall less than 500mm per year.
Growing steps
Prepare land by either slashing, burning if the trash is heavy then spray to kill emerging weeds followed by ploughing and harrowing to provide sufficient tilth for proper root growth additionally space plants depending on the plant variety to add on that presoak seeds overnight to enhance easy germination, sow 2 – 3 seeds per hole at a depth of 2- 5 cm to enhance seed emergency and thin to 2 plants per stand as well as weeding twice that is to say 2 weeks after planting and 4 – 5 weeks after planting to ensure a clean field and reduce nutrient competition.
Control pests and diseases through biological or chemical depending on the cowpea variety means to boost yield for example for late maturing variety spray often due to staggered flowering periods, also harvesting should be done when pods are fully mature and dry depending on the variety since cowpea varieties mature at different times lastly trash pods, clean seeds and separate them from chaff through winnowing.
