Cowpea Project

Contributers: J. C. Popelka, S. Gollasch & Thomas J.V. Higgins.

Cowpea is attacked by a range of insect pests, in the field and during grain storage. Conventional host plant resistance has been limited. Even after extensive screening of cowpea germplasm to pests such as the cowpea pod borer (Maruca vitrata) and the cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus) only weak sources of resistance were found, if any.

Genetic transformation could be a helpful tool to develop insect resistant germplasm but no robust transformation system is available for this staple crop.

The recently developed Agrobacterium transformation protocol for cowpea may facilitate the production of insect resistant transgenic cowpeas.TransBacter could now be used to transform cowpea.

What to do in this project?

• Read about Agrobacterium transformation of cowpea.
• Let us know your thoughts in the cowpea discussion forum.

Your ideas will help form this project!