By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
Researchers at the Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions (FSSS) have developed a breakthrough “gene-pyramided” cowpea that resists Striga gesnerioides, a parasitic weed that often devastates harvests in sub-Saharan Africa.
Led by Dr. Isaiah Gabriel and Professor Lucky Omoigui, the team used advanced marker-assisted breeding to combine multiple resistance genes into a single variety.
Unlike previous versions that relied on a single gene—which parasites eventually bypass—this multi-gene approach offers durable, broad-spectrum protection.Crucially, the study, published in Discover Agriculture, found that this resistance doesn’t hurt productivity.
Dr. Gabriel noted that the new lines maintain high yields while successfully fighting off various Striga strains found across Nigeria.
By testing the plants against a composite population of weeds from multiple regions, the researchers ensured the crop’s resilience is “real-world” ready.
“”As Nigeria is the world’s largest cowpea producer, these resilient varieties are a major win for food security and the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers. The next step involves field validation before a full release to farmers in infested regions”.
“The study also confirms that Striga resistance in these lines is governed by two dominant genes, so the issues of gene breakdown have been handled through gene pyrimidine, making it easier to predict and accelerate breeding outcomes. Additionally, the high heritability of both resistance and yield traits suggests that these improvements can be reliably passed on to future generations,” The Foundation said.
The Researchers further observed a strong negative relationship between Striga infestation and yield performance, reinforcing the urgent need for resistant varieties as a pathway to improving farmer productivity and strengthening food security.
According to Dr Isaiah Gabriel, Lead Researcher and Executive Director of FSSS, “This work shows that we can move beyond temporary solutions and develop cowpea varieties that are both resilient across different Striga genesneriodes bio-type in Nigeria. It represents a critical step towards securing the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers who depend on this crop.
“With cowpea serving as a major source of protein (26%) and income across West Africa and Nigeria recognised as the world’s largest produce, the implications of this research are far-reaching. The newly developed lines are now positioned for further field validation and eventual release to farmers in Striga-endemic regions.
“The study is published in Discover Agriculture and is available on our Knowledge Repository for further review,” he said.
The research indicated that it is now possible to develop cowpea varieties that combine multi-gene resistance to Striga with strong yield performance, addressing a long-standing trade-off that has limited previous breeding efforts.
Using advanced marker-assisted breeding techniques, “the study successfully combined resistance genes from multiple donor lines into a farmers friendly cowpea variety. Unlike conventional approaches that rely on single resistance genes, which often break down over time, this method delivers more durable and broad-spectrum resistance.
“To ensure real-world relevance, the researchers introduced a novel screening approach by testing the new lines against a composite Striga population collected from multiple regions in northern Nigeria. This approach enabled the simulation of diverse field conditions within a controlled environment, increasing confidence in the stability and applicability of the results,” the Foundation said.