Temperature: A major climatic determinant of cowpea production

Cowpea planting season is crucial for high yield and should comprise the period of year that warrants best climatic conditions cowpea cultivation. Thus, objective this study was to evaluate influence water availability temperature on performance cultivars. A greenhouse experiment conducted using a 4 × 2 5 factorial arrangement, with four replications. Factors included levels soil moisture (25, 50, 75, 100% holding capacity), two growing seasons (mild hot), five cultivars (Carijó, Itaim, Pujante, Rouxinol, Tapahium). The number pods seeds per plant, seed production, use efficiency, shoot dry mass, root physiological parameters were evaluated. Seed production higher during mild than hot increased linearly increasing availability. Photosynthetic activity transpiration season, their reduction under 25% regardless season. Total chlorophyll content decreased excess water. Regardless availability, most limiting factor performance. Cultivars Carijó, Tapahium exhibited lower in productive potential when grown