Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp. is a widely planted nutritious grain legume [1]. It is cultivated in many West African countries including Nigeria. Cowpea is a source of dietary protein, vitamins and mineral salts. It has been consumed by human since the earliest practice of Agriculture in developing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America [2]. The pulse beetle, Callosobruchus maculat...

The reconciliation of economy and environment is a key factor in achieving sustainability.The European Union wishes to achieve the sustainability of its agriculture in order to producehigh quality food materials and to manage energy crisis and the risks related to climate andmarket fluctuations. These risks can be mitigated by reducing negative impacts of agriculturalactivities on the environme...

Highly specific seed market classes for cowpea and other grain legumes exist because grain is most commonly cooked and consumed whole. Size, shape, color, and texture are critical features of these market classes and breeders target development of cultivars for market acceptance. Resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses that are absent from elite breeding material are often introgressed throug...

Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration has led to concerns about global changes to the environment. One area of global change that has not been fully addressed is the effect of elevated atmospheric CO2 on agriculture production inputs. Elevated CO2 concentration alterations of plant growth and C:N ratios may modify C and N cycling in soil and N fertility. This study was conducted to examine t...

Biological nitrogen fixation is the most important biochemical reaction for life on earth. Phosphorus and rhizobium inoculation increased N2-fixation by legumes. Legumes in rotation with cereals contribute to the total N pool in soil and improved cereals yield. In view of importance of grain legumes and the role they can play in maintaining soil productivity and succeeding cereal yield, rotatio...

Intercropping is the simultaneous cultivation of more than one crop species on the same piece of land and is regarded as the practical application of basic ecological principles such as diversity, competition and facilitation. Field experiments were carried out on a sandy loam soil and a sandy soil in Denmark over three consecutive cropping seasons including dual grain legume (pea, faba bean an...