Season and Varieties
| Zone District / Season | Month | Varieties |
| Irrigated | ||
| All districts of Tamil Nadu | June-July | CO (FC) 8 , CO 9 and TNFC 0926 |
Particulars of Fodder Cowpea Varieties
| PARTICULARS | CO (FC) 8 | CO 9 | TNFC 0926 |
| Parentage | Cross derivative from CO 5 x N 331 | CO 5 × Bundel Lobia 2 | CO 5 × KBC 2 (Released for North Eastern Zone of India) |
| Duration (Days) | 55-60 | 50-55 | 50-55 |
| Green fodder yield (t/ha) | 18-22 | 22-23 | 25 |
| Seed yield (kg/ha) | 625 | 745 | 650 |
| Quality characters | |||
| Dry matter content (%) | 15.5 | 16.86 | 19.30 |
| Crude protein content (%) | 20.7 | 21.56 | 19.20 |
Special features of Fodder Cowpea CO 9
| Special features of Fodder Cowpea CO 9 High dry matter yield (3.85 t/ha) High protein content (21.56 %) Reduced fibre portions confer increased digestibility, palatability and intake Moderately resistant to yellow mosaic virus | |
| Fodder Cowpea CO 9 |
- High dry matter yield (3.85 t/ha)
- High protein content (21.56 %)
- Reduced fibre portions confer increased digestibility, palatability and intake
- Moderately resistant to yellow mosaic virus
Crop Production:
| 1. | Preparatory cultivation | : | Plough 2 to 3 times to obtain a good tilth and form ridges and furrows of 6 m length and 60 cm apart. |
| 2. | Seed rate | : | 25 kg/ha |
| 3. | Spacing | : | 30 x 15 cm in lines |
| 4. | Manures and fertilizers | : | Manured for irrigated crop only Basal: FYM : 12.5 t/ha NPK: 25 : 40 : 20 kg/ha |
| 5. | Weed Management | : | First weeding at 25th DAS. Subsequent weeding based on necessity |
| 6. | Water Management | Immediately after planting; life irrigation on 3rd day and thereafter once in 10 days. | |
| 7. | Harvest | : | At 50% flowering stage (50 - 55 days). |
| 8. | Green fodder yield | : | 25-28 t/ha |
Crop Protection:
- Stunting and distorting growth.
- Honeydew production and sooty mould.
- Vector: Cowpea Mosaic Virus
- Shiny black aphid.
- Aphid groups on the under surface of the cowpea leaves, young stems and pods.
- Conserve important predators coccinellid beetles, e.g. Cheilomenes sexmaculata and Coccinella septempuncta, syrphid larvae, e.g. Ischiodon scutellaris, Neuropteran larvae, e.g. Micromus timidus, and a predatory dipteran, e.g. Aphidoletes aphidimyza.
- Bright yellow mottling with dark green vein – banding, leaf distortion, blistering, stunting and reduced leaf lamina.
- Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) is a plant virus of the comovirus group.
- It is positive sense RNA virus
- Aphid - Aphis craccivora, A. gossypii, A. fabae and Myzus persicae .
- High temperature
- Roguing out of diseased plants up to 30 days .
- Land should be free of volunteer plants.
- The previous crop should not be the same variety or other varieties of the same crop.
- It can be the same variety if it is certified as per the procedures of certification agency.
- For certified / quality seed production, leave a distance of 5 m all around the field from the same and other varieties of the crop.
- Short term storage in gunny/cloth bag (8 - 9 months) with 9-10% moisture content .
- Medium term storage in polylined gunny bag (12 - 15 months) with 8 - 9 % moisture.
- Long term storage in 700 gauge polythene bag (more than 15 months) with 8% moisture.