Understanding Waterlogging Stress in Cowpea: An Overview

Abstract

Waterlogging stress is a significant threat to the global agriculture, resulted in the 33% reduction in the average crop yield. It is predicted that annual daily precipitation will increase by 14% by 2050 in IPCC report. Increase in precipitation increases waterlogging condition. This stress causes a cascade of physiological and morphological responses in plants, including limiting photosynthesis, respiration, nutrient uptake, biomass and formation of adventitious roots. As a result, the growth and development of plant becomes completely disrupted. Cowpea plants under stress exhibit a decline in their number of leaves, leaf area, fresh weight, dry weight, etc. An important morphological change is the emergence of adventitious roots. This root system helps in the absorption and oxygen transport of plant, even after the death of primary roots. Tolerant genotypes survive the stress condition by switching into alternate pathways like anaerobic respiration or structural modifications. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of waterlogging on cowpea, thereby contributing to the advancement of future research objectives.