14 Management of Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp)] Germplasm Diversity in Sen
14 Management of Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp)] Germplasm Diversity in Senegal: A Crucial Asset for Breeding Programs
Amy Bodian, ISRA/CERAAS, Senegal
Awa Sarr, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal & ISRA/CERAAS, Senegal
Badara Guèye, IITA, Nigeria
Mouhamadou Moussa Diangar, ISRA/CNRA, Senegal
Tatiana Krasova Wade, IRD, Senegal
Demba Dramé, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar & ISRA/CERAAS, Senegal
Ndiaga Cissé, ISRA/CERAAS, Senegal
Diaga Diouf, Cheikh Anta DIOP University of Dakar, Senegal
Abstract
Cowpea is a legume of nutritional, socioeconomic, and therapeutic importance in Senegal, as in other West African countries. However, biotic and abiotic constraints affect its production. To mitigate those constraints and enhance its productivity in Senegal, the management of cowpea genetic resources is a priority. Managing these resources involves extensive collection to cover maximum cowpea diversity, standard characterization, and sustainable conservation of the local germplasm. A review of the diversity management of the local cowpea germplasm and results from a study conducted between 2015 and 2021 are presented in this chapter. Many cowpea prospections and collections have been done since 1953, but they only covered a few cowpea growing areas.
Moreover, many collected accessions have been lost due to a lack of adequate conservation. This deprived cowpea breeding programs of great germplasm diversity. Therefore, in 2015, a cowpea collection was made, covering more production regions, including cultivated cowpea, hybrids, and wild accessions. The molecular characterization of this collection showed that the genetic diversity is higher in hybrids and wild accessions than in the cultivated species. These results will be used for a better valorization of cowpea genetic resources to overcome constraints encountered in the production of this crop.
Keywords: cowpea, local germplasm, diversity, breeding program, Senegal
Introduction
African agriculture faces major challenges to crop productivity in family farms. Food demands are increasing due to the growing population and continual decrease in arable lands due to urbanization and industrialization. This requires a sustainable intensification of agricultural production based on resilient crops, such as cowpea, that can generate income and balance the diet of populations without degrading the ecosystem. Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] is mainly a self-pollinating plant. This important staple food crop, well-adapted to dry tropical regions and offering considerable economic, nutritional, and agronomic benefits (Agbicodoet al., 2009) in the tropical savanna areas of Africa, deserves special attention. Cowpea provides more than half of the vegetable proteins in the diet of populations in many developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (Aliyu &Wachap, 2014; Bhattarai et al., 2017; Boukaret al., 2016). It also contains a significant amount of minerals and vitamins. Moreover, c