Asfaw Zemede (Professor)Alemu Sisay2018-07-192023-11-092018-07-192023-11-092015-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/9325The present research has been carried out to identify and document the landrace diversity and ethnobotanical uses of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) (Fabaceae) in three regions of southern Ethiopia (Gambella, Oromia, Dire Dawa and SNNPR). Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interview, field observations, guided field walk and market survey. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, preference ranking and informant consensus. A total of 44 accessions were collected from different geographical locations of south of Addis Ababa. These landraces had diverse seed sizes, colors, growth habits and germination potentials. Among the collections, Vigna unguiculata subspecies dekindtiana farmers variety RAPO (Anywaa language) was found in Gambella Region), subspecies cylindrica and subspecies unguiculata farmers’ variety ATERA BABILE (Afaan Oromo) found in all regions of southern Ethiopia and grown for the purposes of human food, livestock feed, improving soil fertility and as medicinal plant. Other collections, Vingna unguiculata subspecies unguiculata farmers’ variety ATERA BABILE was preferred by the majority of farmers’ because of its spreading nature, ability to produce more leaves than other varieties, improving soil fertility and ability to supersede weeds via ground covering. All in all ten landrace varieties were recorded from southern Ethiopia in which four were recorded in SNNPR, three in Oromia three in Gambella and one in Dire Dawa. As indicated by local farmers, wild relatives of cowpea still persist in southern Ethiopia. Therefore, conducting further researches on both local landraces and wild relatives of cowpea is recommended in this study. Key words:- Landrace, Cowpea, Ethnobotany, Intercropping, Sole croppingenLandraceCowpeaEthnobotanyIntercroppingSole croppingThesis