Cowpea Growth Stages

Legume Types

• Cowpea
• Black-eyed Pea
• Southern Pea

Vegetative Growth Stages

VE • Seedling emergence

VC • Two cotyledons & primary leaves at nodes 1 & 2 

V1 • 1st trifoliolate leaf unfolded at node 3

V2 • 2nd trifoliolate leaf unfolded at node 4

V3 • 3rd trifoliolate leaf unfolded at node 5

V4 • 4th trifoliolate unfolded at node 6 + branching

Vn • nth trifoliolate leaf unfolded at node (n+2) [Fig. 1]

Reproductive Growth Stages

R1 • One open flower on the plant (early bloom) [Fig. 2]

R2 • 50–100% of flowers are open (full bloom)

R3 • One pod at maximum length (early pod set)

R4 • 50% of pods at maximum length (mid pod set)

R5 • One pod with fully developed seeds (early seed fill)

R6 • 50% of pods with fully developed seeds [Fig. 3]

Physiological Maturitty

R7 • One pod at mature color (physiological maturity) 

RH • 80% of pods at mature color (harvest maturity)