PBR Cowpea remains best performing variety — Researcher

Prof. Muhammed Ishiyaku, Executive Director, Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, says the Pod Borer-Resistant (PBR) Cowpea variety remains one of best produced under scientific research.

Ishiyaku, one of the researchers that developed PBR Cowpea, stated this on Thursday in Kano at a media briefing to commemorate one year of its discovery.

PBR Cowpea is a new genetically modified cowpea, with resistant to pod-borers, a ravaging pest, also known as maruca vitrata.

The new cowpea variety was developed by scientists at the Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in collaboration with various partners under the coordination of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation.

Ishiyaku said the variety which has been in use by the Nigerian farmers for one year, is more effective in terms of yield production.

He said the cost of production of the variety, was highly reduced, stressing it is resistant to insects and easy to produce.

“The variety is doing wonderful on the farm with two spreads of insecticides during the production process.

“The rumour making the rounds by some people, that it is harmful to human life, is baseless and untrue; those people can be described as novice to the variety.

“Some farmers who have used the variety on their farms testified about the effectiveness of the PBR Cowpea.

“Let me at this point advice Nigerian farmers to disregard the rumour, instead adopt the use of the variety on their farms, and they will be amazed how it will boost their production.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PBR Cowpea is one of the most damaging insect pests limiting cowpea production and reducing its size and quality.