Registration of ‘California Blackeye 50’ Cowpea
Abstract
‘California Blackeye 50’, a blackeye-type cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] (Reg. No. CV-290, PI 655235) cultivar, was developed by the University of California, Riverside, and released by the California Agricultural Experiment Station in 2008. California Blackeye 50 distinguishes itself from the industry standard California Blackeye 46 (CB46) by its greater individual seed weight and grain quality features that are desired in the dry package trade and export markets of this crop. California Blackeye 50 was bred using traditional pedigree breeding methods. It has resistance to the two predominate races (races 3 and 4) of Fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. tracheiphilum) found in the irrigated production systems of the southwestern United States, while other currently grown blackeye-type cowpea cultivars adapted to the region either have resistance only to race 3 of this disease or are susceptible to both races. Selection for resistance to Fusarium wilt was conducted using a \"clip-dip\" procedure in the greenhouse. California Blackeye 50 is also resistant to the two most important root-knot nematodes of the region, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood and M. javanica (Treub) Chitwood. Selection for resistance to root-knot nematodes was conducted at specially managed infested field sites and in \"pouch tests\" in growth chambers. California Blackeye 50 has given grain yields equivalent to CB46 in 13 field tests conducted over 4 yr at multiple environments in the Central Valley of California while producing highly attractive grain that is larger and more than 15% heavier.
Citation
Ehlers, J.D.; Sanden, B.L.; Frate, C.A.; Hall, A.E.; Roberts, P.A. Registration of ‘California Blackeye 50’ Cowpea. Journal of Plant Registrations (2009) 3 (3) 236-240. [DOI: 10.3198/jpr2009.01.0039crc]