Nyankpala: The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) has successfully developed four new maruca resistant cowpea varieties, aiming to enhance the production of the crop within the country.
According to Ghana News Agency, the newly developed varieties incorporate the maruca resistant trait into four existing commercial varieties: Apagbaala, Padi-tuua, Wang-kae, and Kirkhouse-benga. These varieties are currently undergoing extensive field testing and are on track to be proposed for release within the next two to four years.
Dr. Jerry Nboyine, a Research Scientist at CSIR-SARI, revealed in an interview that the new varieties are designed to offer farmers more options in terms of biomass, growth habits, and adaptability to various ecological conditions. Maruca, a highly destructive moth caterpillar, poses a significant threat to leguminous crops like cowpea and is recognized as a major agricultural pest in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Nboyine explained that the development of these four new varieties aims to eventually produce cowpea varieties that are high-yielding, resistant to both field and storage pests, while requiring minimal pesticide application. Once commercialized, these new varieties will join Songotra-T, the country's first genetically modified cowpea, resistant to pests, which was commercialized in July 2024.
The Songotra-T variety was developed by CSIR-SARI scientists after nearly a decade of confined and on-farm trials, in collaboration with an international network of organizations across Western Africa, Australia, and the USA, coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation.
Expressing optimism about the future of cowpea production in Ghana, Dr. Nboyine highlighted the country's potential to significantly transform the sector within the next five to six years, stating, "The future is very promising for cowpea farmers and for Ghana as a whole."