Department of Agricultural Research, Gaborone, Botswana

Abstract

Fifteen cowpea accessions native to Botswana were evaluated for growth, productivity and forage quality over 3 growing seasons. Marked differences (P < 0.05; P < 0.01) were recorded for spread of vegetative growth past the edge of the plot (63–137 cm), nodulation (71–165 nodules/plant; 7.8–14.8 g/plant DM), time to 50% flowering (45–93 days), forage production (2.7–4.3 t/ha) and seed yield (141–691 kg/ha). Differences in nutritive value of dry matter were recorded for K (1.3–3.2%) and Ca (0.9–1.6%) concentrations but not for N (2.4–3.1%) and P (0.05–0.07%) concentrations, fibre nitrogen (0.5–0.9%) and forage digestibility (65–69%). Accessions B052C, B108 and B366 were the most promising as sources of fodder. They consistently produced high yields of good quality fodder and ample amounts of seed. The mineral concentrations and forage digestibility could support cattle requirements for medium to high levels of ruminant animal production with the exception of the P levels. The low P levels were also compounded by high Ca concentrations.

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