International Journal of
Biodiversity and Conservation

  • Abbreviation: Int. J. Biodivers. Conserv.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-243X
  • DOI: 10.5897/IJBC
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 679

Full Length Research Paper

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) (Fabaceae) landrace diversity in Northern Ethiopia

Mulugeta Alemu
  • Mulugeta Alemu
  • Addis Ababa University, College of Natural Sciences, Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Zemede Asfaw
  • Zemede Asfaw
  • Addis Ababa University, College of Natural Sciences, Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Zerihun Woldu
  • Zerihun Woldu
  • Addis Ababa University, College of Natural Sciences, Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Berhanu Amsalu Fenta
  • Berhanu Amsalu Fenta
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Melkassa Agricultural Research Centre (MARC), National Pulse, Oil and Fiber Crops Research Program. P.O.Box 436, Ethiopia.
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Beth Medvecky
  • Beth Medvecky
  • Cornell University, Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development, Ithaca, New York.
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  •  Received: 24 January 2016
  •  Accepted: 06 April 2016
  •  Published: 30 November 2016

Abstract

This study was carried out to identify and document the landrace (farmers’ variety) diversity and ethnobotany of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) (Fabaceae) in Northern Ethiopia. A total of 54 germplasm accessions and six representative voucher specimens of cowpea were collected from different geographical locations of Ethiopia ranging from 1260–2140 m a.s.l. within the grid references of 10o 00’ to 14o 00’ N and 38o 00’ to 40o 00’ E.  Of these, 45 (83%) were local farmers’ varieties and 9 (17%) were commercial varieties introduced by the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and the Melkassa Agricultural Research Center (MARC). The majority of farmers (60) (75%) preferred the erect type of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata subsp. cylindrica (L.) Verdc. farmers’ variety locally named Kimite (short drought resistant) and subsp. cylindrica (L.) Verdc. farmers’ variety Chekele (dry season crop). The spreading type of cowpea (subsp. unguiculata farmers’ variety Jergadie - stretched type) produces much more vegetative parts than grains. Farmers mainly used it for improving soil fertility and for animal feed. In Amhara Region, cowpea is mainly used for human food in the form of boiled grains (Nifro), bread (Kita) and as ingredient for various sauces (Shiro Wet). There are high potential areas for cowpea production; but the actual production by local farmers is restricted to only few areas. Given the current paucity in making use of the locally available germplasm by farmers, the responsible body (MARC) for cowpea research and development would need to mount an aggressive enhancement and/or distribution of the important cowpea landraces to the areas where the crop can be suitably grown by local small scale farmers.
 
Key words: Cowpea, Ethiopia, ethnobotany, farmers’ knowledge, farmers’ variety, landrace.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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