When open flowers were removed from cowpea plants for periods between 3 and 12 consecutive days beginning from the first day of anthesis, more flowers opened on the deflowered than on the untreated plants, thus compensating for those removed. However, most of these extra flowers dropped prematurely.

In experiments in the greenhouse or on dry-season irrigated plots, deflowering for up to 9 days did not decrease the seed yield of the varieties Adzuki or Westbred. In an early-season field experiment, deflowering of Westbred did not decrease the seed yield unless repeated for 12 days. All periods of deflowering Adzuki decreased the seed yield, and the longest period gave the smallest yield.