Summary
Twenty cultivsrs of cowpca (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). 19 introductions (cultivars from IITA) and one local were studied as the performance in "Terra Firme" (upiand condition), during the growing season of 1977. It showed that the nineteen new entries performed better than the major local cultivar, INPA-III. The cultivars that produced the highest yields were: VITA-3, TVx1193-059D, VITA-1, VITA-4 and TVx456-01F with about 2128. 2055, 2038. 1957 and 1950 kg of dry seeds per hectare, respectively. The VITA-3 performed better os for as the study of agronomic caracteristics were concerned, such as: efficiency of machines of 62%, high seeds yields, high seeds weight, plant height with 123 cm, middle biological cycle and reasonable average number of pods per plant. There was little incidence of insects and diseases during the growing period, that was a consequence of low rainfall. The most damaging insect was the cucumber beetle (Diabrotica spp) some isolated plant showed cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) and white rottenness of rod (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum). Other studies such as regional yield trial time of seeding and disease reactions, should be conducted with these new lines before making a final recomendation.