DEVELOPMENT

California Blackeye No. 77 (CB77) was developed by Bao-Lam Huynh and Philip Roberts at the University of California Riverside.

BREEDING HISTORY & DESCRIPTION

CB77 is an aphid resistant blackeye cowpea cultivar (Vigna unguiculata) that was developed using marker-assisted backcrossing. The initial F1 cross was made in 2012 between the recurrent parent California Blackeye No. 46 (CB46) and a donor parent carrying two aphid-resistance loci from the African breeding line IT97K-556-6, followed by five backcross cycles. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were used in foreground and background selection strategies.  

CB77 has the botanical and morphological characteristics similar to its recurrent parent CB46 with respect to seed size, leaf shape (ovate), flower color (white), and growth habit (erect). CB77 yields comparably to CB46 and higher than California Blackeye No. 5 (CB5). CB77 has whiter seeds with less lygus damage than CB46 and CB5. Its black pigmented portion, or ‘eye’, does not leak dark pigment during boiling or canning.

ADAPTATION

CB77 is recommended for the Central Valley of California, from Tulare to Colusa, and other production regions where aphids are present.

PEST & DISEASE RESISTANCE

CB77 is resistant to cowpea aphids (Aphis craccivora Koch), root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) and Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. tracheiphilum) Race 3.

SEED CLASSES & PRODUCTION

Classes of seed are breeder, foundation, and certified. The UC Davis Foundation Seed Program will maintain foundation seed through ‘Foundation to Foundation’ seed increases as appropriate to maintain amount to meet market demand for Foundation and Certified seed. The University of California Riverside will maintain Breeder seed in the event it is needed by the UC Davis Foundation Seed Program.