A Niche for Cowpea in Sub-Tropical Australia?
Pulses have emerged as important rotation crops in Australia. Some are in demand in agricultural production systems due to their high potential market value, because of their roles as grain or forage crops, their nitrogen fixation capability, and because they provide a disease break or improve soil...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/8/1654 |
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| author | Lindsay W. Bell Andrew T. James Mary Ann Augustin Artur Rombenso David Blyth Cedric Simon Thomas J. V. Higgins Jose M. Barrero |
| author_facet | Lindsay W. Bell Andrew T. James Mary Ann Augustin Artur Rombenso David Blyth Cedric Simon Thomas J. V. Higgins Jose M. Barrero |
| author_sort | Lindsay W. Bell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pulses have emerged as important rotation crops in Australia. Some are in demand in agricultural production systems due to their high potential market value, because of their roles as grain or forage crops, their nitrogen fixation capability, and because they provide a disease break or improve soil health. While several pulse crops have been identified for winter-season cropping, there are few adapted legumes apart from mungbean that are appropriate for dryland summer cropping. Currently, short-duration crops of mungbean are commonly used, but yields are highly variable and susceptible to drought. Here, we propose that cowpea has the potential to become an alternative rotation crop in dryland summer cropping zones, providing a competitive and profitable alternative pulse crop option where its drought tolerance could enable better performance under inconsistent in-crop rainfall. We demonstrate that cowpea has nutritional properties and putative uses that could prove valuable in emerging plant-based protein and aquaculture markets. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:05:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b6ee6199c5374cfa9932edf258c7f389 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:05:34Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-b6ee6199c5374cfa9932edf258c7f3892023-11-22T06:27:07ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-08-01118165410.3390/agronomy11081654A Niche for Cowpea in Sub-Tropical Australia?Lindsay W. Bell0Andrew T. James1Mary Ann Augustin2Artur Rombenso3David Blyth4Cedric Simon5Thomas J. V. Higgins6Jose M. Barrero7Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, AustraliaCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, St. Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Werribee, VIC 3030, AustraliaCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Livestock & Aquaculture Program, Bribie Island Research Centre, Woorim, QLD 4507, AustraliaCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Livestock & Aquaculture Program, Bribie Island Research Centre, Woorim, QLD 4507, AustraliaCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Livestock & Aquaculture Program, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, St. Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Black Mountain Science and Innovation Park, Canberra, ACT 2601, AustraliaCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Black Mountain Science and Innovation Park, Canberra, ACT 2601, AustraliaPulses have emerged as important rotation crops in Australia. Some are in demand in agricultural production systems due to their high potential market value, because of their roles as grain or forage crops, their nitrogen fixation capability, and because they provide a disease break or improve soil health. While several pulse crops have been identified for winter-season cropping, there are few adapted legumes apart from mungbean that are appropriate for dryland summer cropping. Currently, short-duration crops of mungbean are commonly used, but yields are highly variable and susceptible to drought. Here, we propose that cowpea has the potential to become an alternative rotation crop in dryland summer cropping zones, providing a competitive and profitable alternative pulse crop option where its drought tolerance could enable better performance under inconsistent in-crop rainfall. We demonstrate that cowpea has nutritional properties and putative uses that could prove valuable in emerging plant-based protein and aquaculture markets.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/8/1654cowpealegumesdrylandrotation cropfood ingredientaquafeed ingredient |
| spellingShingle | Lindsay W. Bell Andrew T. James Mary Ann Augustin Artur Rombenso David Blyth Cedric Simon Thomas J. V. Higgins Jose M. Barrero A Niche for Cowpea in Sub-Tropical Australia? Agronomy cowpea legumes dryland rotation crop food ingredient aquafeed ingredient |
| title | A Niche for Cowpea in Sub-Tropical Australia? |
| title_full | A Niche for Cowpea in Sub-Tropical Australia? |
| title_fullStr | A Niche for Cowpea in Sub-Tropical Australia? |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Niche for Cowpea in Sub-Tropical Australia? |
| title_short | A Niche for Cowpea in Sub-Tropical Australia? |
| title_sort | niche for cowpea in sub tropical australia |
| topic | cowpea legumes dryland rotation crop food ingredient aquafeed ingredient |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/8/1654 |
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