Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) genotypes: UCR369 and EpicSelect.4

The Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing, and Biotechnology (IGBB) at Mississippi State University, is studying how cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) responds to waterlogging during different stages of growth. The research was conducted during a two-year field trial (2021-2022) at Mississippi State University's North Mississippi Research and Extension Center. We compared two genotypes (UCR369 and EpicSelect.4) at the vegetative, flowering, and maturity stages in both normal and waterlogged conditions. Our objectives were to (i) explain shared and genotype-specific gene activity under stress, (ii) relate these patterns to critical plant traits, and (iii) uncover genes and pathways that could direct breeding for improved tolerance.