The effects of plant growth habit (erect versus spreading and flowering pattern) on the resistance of cowpea Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., to the legume pod borer, Maruca testulalis Geyer, were studied in Nigeria. Five cowpea cultivars of known agronomic and architectural characteristics were selected for the study: TVu 946, IT82D-716, VITA-3, Oloka local and Kamboinse local. Seed and pod damage assessment values were better in profuse flowering than in non-profuse flowering cultivars and in erect cultivars than in spreading cultivars. Best performances were obtained from TVu 946 (profuse flowering and erect resistant), and worst results from Oloka local (spreading susceptible) and VITA-3 (susceptible non-profuse) respectively. Erect and profuse flowering cowpea cultivars are proposed as having good architectural components for reducing M. testulalis damage to cowpea. The implications of architectural variations in cowpea are discussed.
