Mississippi Silver,’ sometimes called ‘Mississippi Silverskin’ or ‘Mississippi Silver Crowder,’ has a shorter season, needing 60 to 90 days to reach maturity. It’s a bush variety, producing silvery, smooth-skinned pods, 6 to 7 inches long, filled with light green to cream-colored peas with flattened ends that dry to a rich brown. ‘Mississippi Silver’ is resistant to root-knot nematodes and fusarium wilt. The cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata) is an annual herbaceous legume from the genus Vigna. Its tolerance for sandy soil and low rainfall have made it an important crop in the semiarid regions across Africa and Asia. It requires very few inputs, as the plant's root nodules are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen, making it a valuable crop for resource-poor farmers and well-suited to intercropping with other crops. The whole plant is used as forage for animals, with its use as cattle feed likely responsible for its name. The lysine in the cowpea reduces the genital herpes or cold sores and also speeds up the healing process. The daily intake of the cowpeas reduces the chances of recurrence of cold sores. One cup of cowpea provides 0.90 g of lysine which means 27% of DV. The cowpeas possess dietary fiberswhich promote and softens the stool. It reduces the constipation with the easy flow of bulky stool. The bulk is added to the stool because the fiber helps to absorb the water. The diet rich in fiber reduces the chances of small pouches in the colon and hemorrhoids. Southern growers may encounter ground-dwelling nematode worms, such as root-knot nematode, as well as aboveground nematodes. Crop rotation and weed control help counter these microscopic pests.

Wilson, Kenneth (1988). "Egg laying decisions by the bean weevil Callosobruchus maculatus". Ecological Entomology. 13 (1): 107–118. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2311.1988.tb00338.x. S2CID 85942098. Very fertile soils generally do not require any fertiliser, but on less fertile soils, may require 125 - 250 kg/ha of single superphosphate and 50 - 100 kg/ha muriate of potash, depending on soil analysis. Single superphosphate delivers sulphur as well. Molybdenum may be necessary on very acid soils, and zinc on soils with high pH. Management Maintenance fertliser

A large morphological diversity is found within the crop, and the growth conditions and grower preferences for each variety vary from region to region. [13] However, as the plant is primarily self-pollinating, its genetic diversity within varieties is relatively low. [19] Cowpeas can either be short and bushy (as short as 20cm or 8in) or act like a vine by climbing supports or trailing along the ground (to a height of 2m or 6ft 7in). [20] [21] The taproot can penetrate to a depth of 2.4m (7ft 10in) after eight weeks. [22] The production of nodules depends on the efficiency of inoculation, soil moisture, soil temperature, nutrition and soil acidity. Nodulation appears to improve with good soil moisture and lower soil temperatures. Poor nodulation sometimes occurs with increasing soil temperature and low soil moisture. Cowpea seeds provide a rich source of proteins and food energy, as well as minerals and vitamins. [68] This complements the mainly cereal diet in countries that grow cowpeas as a major food crop. [74] A seed can consist of 25% protein and has very low fat content. [75] Cowpea starch is digested more slowly than the starch from cereals, which is more beneficial to human health. [68] The grain is a rich source of folic acid, an important vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects in unborn babies. [76] As I already mentioned above, vanpayar (red cowpea or lobia) is usually used in curry recipes or in dry form to be used as a side dish with rice or other traditional bread varieties like chapathi. Olajide, Amos Afolarin; Ilori, Christopher Olumuyiwa (2017). "Effects of Drought on Morphological Traits in Some Cowpea Genotypes by Evaluating Their Combining Abilities". Advances in Agriculture. 2017: 1–10. doi: 10.1155/2017/7265726. ISSN 2356-654X.

Cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), also known as Southern peas or field peas, are a versatile crop — so versatile, they could be considered the vegetable version of a Swiss army knife. They can produce nutritious greens, snap beans, shell beans, and even dry beans, which can be ground into flour for a gluten-free grain substitute.Cowpeas possess the calcium and phosphorus which is a vital mineral to maintain the strength and structure of bones. Manganese assists in the formation of bones by regulating the enzymes and hormones which is involved in the process of bone metabolism. Phosphorus assists in the mineral density of bones that forbids the bone break, fracture and osteoporosis. To have the healthy bones, it is a must to balance the calcium and phosphorus levels. Cowpeas contains 4% calcium, 38% phosphorus and 35% manganese. The osteoporosis in women is helped with the presence of vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, calcium, copper and boron in cowpea. be canned or frozen. Dry mature seeds are also suitable for boiling and canning. Table 1. Nitrogen content of mature cowpea seed The amount of soil nitrogen fixed varies widely, but the effect on following cereal crops is usually dramatic. Pasquet, R. S. (1999). "Genetic relationships among subspecies of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. based on allozyme variation". Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 98 (6–7): 1104–1119. doi: 10.1007/s001220051174. S2CID 38331950. Cowpeas and lablab do very well on a wide variety of soils-from light, sandy soils through to well-drained, heavier-textured soils. Lablab's performance on heavy soils is greatly superior to that of cowpeas. Both require well-drained soils, although lablab has better resistance to phytophthora root rot. Soybeans are well-adapted to loams, heavier clay loams and heavy, self-mulching clay soils. They are superior to cowpeas and lablab where soils become waterlogged. Varieties Cowpeas