Cowpeas Management in Farm

This paper discusses the management of cowpeas in a farm, covering topics such as environmental requirements, production methods, nutrient and water management, pest control, and market opportunities. It provides insights into the optimal conditions for growing cowpeas, different styles of crop management, spacing and sowing methods, nutrient and water requirements, pest management strategies, and the market demands and opportunities for cowpeas.

AGRICULTURE
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Introduction
This particular paper seeks to highlight cowpeas management in the proposed farm while
addressing the specific requirements and conditions which are favorable.
Farm Description
This particular farm is located on gentle slopes which allows. The farm has been portioned into
paddocks which allows for the crop rotation to be carried out seasonally.
Environmental Requirements
Climatic conditions
Cowpea is usually adapted to very high temperatures within the range of 20 degrees Celsius to
35 degrees Celsius. The crop does not thrive well under the flooded conditions. The crops grow
under a wide range of the moisture value and upon establishment, it is fairly tolerant to the
drought. It can give good yield under marginal rainfall(Masvaya et al 2017). The base
temperature for its germination to be effective should be at 8.5 degrees. The leaf growth of the
same plant is basically 20 degrees. In general, this kind of crop is one of the commonly known
heat-loving as well as drought-resistant crops. The optimum temperature of this particular crop is
averagely 3o degrees. The varieties of this particular crop will practically differ in their response
to day length with the insensitive ones flowering within 30 days after the process of sowing
Production of the plant in the commercial Setting
Field layout

In commercial production, the length of the field for cowpea planting should strictly follow the
land contour. There should be the construction of the ridges along the contours(Boukar et al
2015). This will be important as it helps in minimizing the soil erosion as well as moisture
content conservation.
Style of crop management
First style
Pure strand planting
Most cowpeas are interns own as pure stands to support large scale production. The planting on
the relatively gentle land allows for the mechanization of the production exercise. Growing of
the cowpeas as pure strand does not only contribute to large scale production but also contribute
to the quality of the seeds.
Second style
Intercropping
Intercropping is done with other crops including maize. Also, large scale production can be
supported in the cases where stalks of maize are left to continue providing support at a height of
1.5m.
Spacing
Commercial production of the cowpeas is supported by having a spacing of 30cm X 40cm in the
case of the the off-season.For the case of the early and erect variety 40cm X 50cm will be best
preferred. In the case of the late spreading varieties, the spacing of 50cm X 75cm will be

recommended. The seed distribution will be such that 2 to 3 seeds per hill. The reasonable
spacing on average will, therefore, be 60cm X 30cm.
Sowing Method
Broadcasting method
Seedling depth
Although certain areas usually adopt 2 to 5 cm of the planting depth, 3 to 4 cm will give proper
germination hence there will be a good stand for the plant.
Nutrient Management
In the case of fertile soils, cowpeas will definitely grow well. However, for the case of soils with
low fertility, commercial production will involve the use of potash and phosphorous. The
application amount will be averagely 10kg/ha during the sowing period.40 to 70 kg/ha of potash
or phosphorous may be applied before sowing (Ouédraogo et al 2018).
Cowpeas water Management
First management option
Generally, cowpea is a higher drought-tolerant crop that other well-known types of legumes. The
crop can effectively grow under rainfall that is ranging from 400 to 700mm per annum. Cowpeas
have a higher tolerance for water loading. In order to have effective crop yield, there is a need for
well-distributed rainfall. The unreliability to the frequency of rainfall may pose problems to the
development of cowpeas(Agyekum, Donovan and Lupi 2016).

In the areas where there is too much flooding, the area may be drained to ensure that the right
amount of moisture is maintained. As compared to groundnuts, cowpeas use soil moisture more
efficiently. There is a need for adequate water or rainfall during the period of the flowering. This
is also called the podding stage. Whenever there will be a shortage of water or moisture, cowpeas
will react by the liming growth. Irrigation may be used to supplement rainfall in case there will
be no enough rainfall. Opoda farm is located in an area which allows for the use of two styles of
management.
Second management option
Infrastructure for irrigation
The gentleness of the land allows for drip as well as overhead irrigation methods. This aids in the
supply of water during a drought.
Cowpeas soil requirements
Cowpeas are usually grown on a very wide range of soils although it shows a preference for the
sandy soils.
Soil texture
The crop requires soil with the rough texture which allows no waterlogging. As a result, the crop
tends to show a preference for the sandy soil since it allows for easier root penetration. The crop
is more tolerant to the acidic as well as infertile soil as opposed to other crops. This kind of the
adaption to soils that are perceived to be lighter is coupled with resistance to drought
characteristics(Adjei 2017).
Waterlogging properties

Sandy soil which is preferred should have less water retention capability. The crop is less
tolerant t soils which are cold as compared to the common beans as such it will show very poor
tolerance to waterlogging. The crop thrives well in properly-drained soils. Sandy loam soil will,
therefore, be most appropriate.
PH
The PH requirement for this particular crop is between the ranges of 5.6 to 6.
Composition
Sandy loam soil which is properly aerated with high humus content would be the best soil for
this particular crop
Structure
The selected areas for the plant growing must have a loose soil structure that has very large pore
spaces hence allow for the easier movement of the roots through the soil. The crumb-like
structure will be ideal.
Pest management for Cowpeas
Cowpea is usually attractive to insects. The most headache in the cowpeas crop management and
its production is the number of insect pests. Some of the pests that are known to affect
production include the following:
Aphids
In most cases, this particular insect should not be controlled unless the infestation is posing a
threat or only when there is an observation on the viral infections. The decision to have this

particular pest controlled will be dependent on the visual counts as well as the development stage
of the crop. Aphids will cluster on the stems of the plant and affect its normal growth rate. They
are sucking the succulent parts of the plants. They should be sprayed with the use of Malathion.
Spotted pod borer (Maruca testulalis)
The pest damages the seed, especially in the drier areas. They eat not only pods but also flowers.
The use of pesticides to control this kind of the insect should be done in a manner which allows
for the leaf conservation.
Bruchid Control
This is actually one of the storage pests for the cowpeas. This kind of pest can be managed just
through handpicking by the use of the homemade nets. Control measure may involve the use of
the pesticides although farmers will always prefer the use of the ash which is mixed together
with the seeds during storage.
Weed Control
The control of weed on the cowpeas farm can be achieved by using several methods including
manual and chemical means. In the case of small scale production, the use of simple tools like
hoe assist in the control of weeds. In the case of commercial production, herbicides application is
recommended. This will always depend on the type of weed that is being controlled(Abudulai et
al 2016).
Market Demands/Opportunities
Owing to the level of production at the Opoda farm of cowpeas, the harvests will not be for
subsistence use but rather for commercial purposes.

Contemplated Budget
 Primary cultivation=$250
 Secondary cultivation=$123
 Planting=$100
 Fertilizers=$267
 Irrigation water supplements=$130
 Labor=$78
 Weeds and Pest control=$160
 Harvesting=$140
 Storage=$122
Total Cost=$1370
Conclusion
The activities of cowpea farming at the OPoda farm did not only enjoy topographical advantages
but also multiple options of cultivation. The gentle nature of the land allows for the use of two
types of irrigation during a water shortage.

References
Abudulai, M., Seini, S.S., Haruna, M., Mohammed, A.M. and Stephen, K.A., 2016. Farmer
participatory pest management evaluations and variety selection in diagnostic farmer field Fora
in cowpea in Ghana. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 11(19), pp.1765-1771.
Adjei-Nsiah, S., 2017. Farmers’ agronomic and social evaluation of cowpea technologies in
Guinea Savanna zones of Ghana.
Agyekum, M., Donovan, C. and Lupi, F., 2016. Novel IPM intervention for West Africa:
Smallholder farmers’ preferences for biological versus synthetic control strategies for cowpea
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Boukar, O., Fatokun, C.A., Roberts, P.A., Abberton, M., Huynh, B.L., Close, T.J., Kyei-Boahen,
S., Higgins, T.J. and Ehlers, J.D., 2015. Cowpea. In Grain Legumes (pp. 219-250). Springer,
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Masaya, E.N., Nyamangara, J., Descheemaeker, K. and Giller, K.E., 2017. Is maize-cowpea
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southern Africa?. Field crops research, 209, pp.73-87.
Ouédraogo, M., Barry, S., Zougmoré, R., Party, S., Somé, L. and Baki, G., 2018. Farmers'
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