last final thesis of umer

2.7. Major Cowpea production constraints
In Ethiopia, at the farm level, productivity appears to be severely constrained by three major factors
(MoARD, 2008). Those factors include (i) limited or no use of chemical fertilizers (e.g.
Phosphates) ;( ii) very limited availability of improved varieties (mostly grown from unimproved
cultivars with low genetic potential); and use of conventional agronomic practices (e.g., suboptimal
crop rotation, poor seed bed preparation, in appropriate planting density).
Generally biotic (weeds, insect pest) and abiotic (infertile soil, moisture stress etc.) factors are the
main challenges in cowpea production. Weeds are a serious problem in cowpea production and if
not managed well can harbor pest and reduce both the yield and quality of the grain and fodder
yield. Cowpea is not strong competitor with weed especially at the early stage of the growth. The
two types of parasitic weeds that attack cowpea are striga gesnerioides and Alectra (Ditomaso et
al., 2017).Moreover, cowpea may be affected by fungal diseases such as fusarium wilt (fusarium
oxysporum), brown rust (Uromyces appendiculatu); southern stem blight (Sclerotium spp) and
bacterial diseases such as bacterial blight or canker (xanthomonas vignicola) and visrus diseases
such as cowpea mosaic virus (Ditomaso et al., 2017).
Insect pests are also major constraints to cowpea production. Cowpea pest can be classified into
three major groups: pre-flowering (Cowpea aphid), flowering/post flowering (Flower thrips,
Blister beetles, Pod-sucking bugs) and storage (weevil). Damage by insect pest on cowpea can be
as high as 80-100% if not effectively controlled (Alectra (Ditomaso et al., 2017).
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