Registration of ‘ARTPEA/BBT/72/B’ and ‘ARTPEA/BBT/22/W’, brown blotch‐tolerant and early‐maturing cowpea cultivars for humid ecologies of Nigeria

Abstract

Brown blotch disease, caused by Colletotrichum truncatum (Schew), is one of the most destructive diseases affecting cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] in the humid agro‐ecologies of southwestern Nigeria. Development of resistant or tolerant cowpea cultivars was identified as the most economical and effective means of addressing the threat of this disease. Two improved cowpea cultivars, ‘ARTPEA/BBT/72/B’ (Reg. no. CV‐347, PI 700856; also known as Remilekun) and ‘ARTPEA/BBT/22/W’ (Reg. no. CV‐346, PI 700855; also known as Boluyo) (National Code numbers NGVU‐22‐41 and NGVU‐22‐42), were developed through the pedigree breeding method from reciprocal crosses between IT‐95K‐193‐12 and ‘Ife‐Brown’ and released by the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria, in 2022. They were bred for early maturity, high yield, and enhanced tolerance to brown blotch disease in the humid agro‐ecologies of southwestern Nigeria. ARTPEA/BBT/72/B and ARTPEA/BBT/22/W along with their parents and other breeding lines were evaluated in 10 locations for 2 yr on 16 farmers’ fields between 2020 and 2021. ARTPEA/BBT/72/B (Remilekun) and ARTPEA/BBT/22/W (Boluyo) are tolerant to brown blotch disease, early maturing (60–75 d), high yielding (1–1.2 t/ha), non‐photoperiod sensitive, and adaptable to Nigeria's humid agro‐ecologies. They can be cultivated twice a year for enhanced cowpea production in Nigeria.