Resilience under Pressure: A Review on Cowpea’s Tolerance to Heat and Elevated CO2 in the Context of Climate

Climate change presents a significant threat to global survival affecting ecosystems and human health through increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. In agriculture, abiotic stresses including drought, heat, floods and salinity severely undermine plant survival and crop productivity, threatening food security worldwide. Livestock production, a cornerstone of rural economies is also compromised by declining crop yields, which reduce the availability and quality of animal fodder, thereby diminishing livestock health and productivity. To combat these challenges, there is a pressing need for sustainable agricultural practices, including the development of climate-resilient crop varieties. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), a nutrient-rich and drought-tolerant legume holds immense potential to address future food and fodder demands, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Its rich genetic diversity makes it a valuable resource for breeding programs aimed at enhancing resilience to environmental stresses. However, climate change adds complexity, rising carbon dioxide concentrations and temperatures intensify heat stress, impairing physiological functions and limiting yield. While elevated CO2 may improve photosynthesis and water-use efficiency, heat stress can negate these benefits by disrupting reproductive development and metabolic processes. A deeper understanding of these interactions is critical for advancing cowpea breeding strategies to ensure stable productivity under future climatic scenarios.