The cowpea crop; The cowpea plant; The seed; Seedling growth; Growth stages; The roots; Root nodules and nitrogen fixing; The shoot - leaves and branches; The shoot - flowers and seed pods; Dry matter production; Growing cowpea; Environment; Water; Choosing the right variety; Tillage and planting; Fertilizer and lime; Harvesting and storage; Increasing yields and profits; Yield components; Production factors; Yield reducers - weeds; Yield reducers - insect pests; Yield reducers - diseases; Cowpea in other cropping systems; Sequence cropping; Intercropping; Strip-cropping.