Evaluation of Cowpea Genotypes for Drought Tolerances in the Savannah Ecology of Ghana.

Cowpea is the third most important legume crop grown in Ghana and a major crop for food security. It has a higher content of protein, vitamins, mineral and flavonoids than other foods and can be used in the prevention of malnutrition for the majority of the country’s people, but especially rural farmers. In Ghana, the crop has recorded low grain yield due to drought or water deficit during the last several growing periods and is aggravated due to continuous global climate variability and the erratic rainfall pattern that has engulfed the northern part of the country. Our research was conducted to identify cowpea lines that are tolerant to drought from among existing breeding lines and farmers varieties in Northern Ghana. Genotypes were collected from the Savannah Agriculture Research Institute (SARI) and United State of Department Agriculture (USDA) and were evaluated on non-drought and drought stress conditions in an open field environment. The genotypes were planted in augmented designs across three (3) locations in the Northern Region of Ghana. Drought resistance and susceptibility, drought intensity, mean productivity, geometric mean productivity, yield stability and yield reduction were the indices used to determine the drought tolerance of the genotypes. Days to flowering and maturity, seed yield per plant and seed yield per hectare showed significant differences in the tested genotypes. Drought intensity index was high which showed the high drought stress severity effect on cowpea grain yield on genotypes tested. Seven (7) genotypes were drought tolerant based on their values of drought susceptibility index and yield reduction. Drought tolerance combined with yield stability are highly desirable characters for genotypes and for selecting a good genetic source for further improvement to drought resistance.