News: ISRO’s PSLV-C60 POEM-4 Mission has achieved a milestone by germinating cowpea seeds under microgravity conditions within four days of the launch of the mission.
About Cowpea
- The cowpea is an annual herbaceous legume within the pea family.
- The plant was originally domesticated in Africa. Presently, they are grown in semi-arid areas covering Africa, Asia, Europe, United States, Central and South America.
- Characteristics:
- Tolerates sandy soil and low rainfall.
- Possess nitrogen fixation properties, which replenishes the fertility of soils.
- Has multiple uses like food, feed, forage etc.
- Rich source of proteins, minerals and vitamins.
- Its wide leaves keep soil and soil moisture conserved due to shading effect.
- Climate: It is warm weather and semi-arid crop. The crop is best suited to temperatures ranging from 20-degree celsius to 30-degree celsius.
- Production:
- Globally, African continent dominates the cowpea production.
- In India, cowpea is cultivated mainly in the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Haryana etc.
