Agronomic Performance and Nutritive Value of Six Dual-Purpose Cowpea Genotypes in Crop-Livestock Systems of Burkina Faso

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Résumé

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an important legume in Burkina Faso, used both for
human consumption and as livestock fodder. The country faces major challenges such as fodder
shortages. The objective of this study is to evaluate the agronomic performance, fodder biomass
and grain yield, as well as the nutritional value of six dual-purpose cowpea genotypes grown in
Burkina Faso. This study was conducted in Saria. The experimental design utilized a randomized
Fisher's complement block with three replications to assess varieties including commercial types
(KVx745-11P, Tilgré, Gourgou, Teek-Songo) and a novel multi-line genotype
(BulkF4CS036xCS117-9b). Agronomic assessments included monitoring growth parameters and
conducting bromatological analyses on leaf samples to ascertain dry matter, crude protein, and
fiber content. Fodder biomass yields ranged from 1.74 to 4.67 t/ha, with Teek-Songo (4.64 t/ha)
and KVx745-11P (4.43 t/ha) achieving the highest values. Grain yield also varied (P=0.001), with
BulkF4CS036xCS117-9b (1.15 t/ha) showing the highest productivity. Nutritive value of fodder, the
leaves had a high dry matter content (~93-94%) and elevated crude protein levels, particularly in
the Dounguri koirey and Teek-Songo genotypes, exceeding 20%. The six genotypes studied
showed good agronomic and nutritional value for forage production in Burkina Faso's livestock
systems. Teek-Songo stood out for its favorable balance of biomass yield, and nutritional quality.
The study confirms cowpea's potential as a protein-rich fodder source to improve ruminant
performance.

Mots-clés

Crop-livestock system; cowpea; lines; performance; yield; Burkina Faso