Annual Crops

3.1. Cow peas: Vigna unguiculata

Cow pea is also another drought tolerance legume grown in ASAL of East Africa. It’s a dual purpose crop which is mostly used as source of vegetables (leaves than dry beans, more commonly in high potential areas. Its an annual crop with varied growth habit eg spreading semi-spreading or erect.  Pods hang downwards. Seeds cream white, brown or black. Growth period 4-6 months.Mainly grown as intercrop with maize, sorghum or garden vegetables.Areas- Eastern, Central, Coast, Western and Rift valley warm climates crop. Alt 1500 mar l high temp 725⁰C where beans don’t do well. Doesn’t tolerate waterlogging soil free drain.

AGRONOMNY

Field operation.-Same as maize. Spacing 40-60x20-30cm. Weeding – field weed free.

-          Pests – pod borers -most damaging.,   Pod sucking (Acanthomia horrida) and Blossom bettles.

Control like pigeon peas.

Spacing should not be done  before picking leaves.

Diseases                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

-          Zonate leaf spots (Ascochyta spp)

Harvesting

-          Good spinach from leaves obtained when young tender 3-4^th leaf stage.

-          Harvesting 3 times every week starting 5 weeks after sowing may have no effect on yields but flowering maybe delayed.

-          Pods remove individually as they open and cooked fresh or dried.

-          Whole plant uprooted.

Yields.

450-2200 kg/ha.