E. Chikalipa, M. Mwala, L. Tembo cowpea, genotypes, yield, principal component analysis, selection 102-110 6 (4) 2022 October 2022 Cowpea is an important cultivated grain legume pulse, vegetable and fodder crop of African origin. Twenty cowpea genotypes comprising of twelve crosses and eight progenitors were evaluated at the University of Zambia (15°23’S and 28°25’E, at 1250m above sea level)). The experiment was arranged as a two set experiment i.e. applied rate of i) 0kg P /ha and ii) 60kg P /ha P [a control]) and laid as a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Comparisons using a paired t- test revealed a significant increase in performance in a control (60kg P /ha ) for all measured variables across genotypes when compared to a 0 Kg/ ha experimental set. In this study, genotype [LT 11-3-3-12] and a cross [LT 3-8-4-1 X LT 11-5-1-1] were identified as the highest performers exhibiting a mean yield of 1994.9 kg/ha and 1984.0 kg/ha respectively in a P-limiting soil. The variables plant biomass, root biomass, number of pods and pod length were identified as ideal at discriminating genotypic performance responses in P- limiting soil. This implies that the identified variable responses under cowpea genotypic selection in P-limiting soils cannot solely be used as indirect selection criteria for yield response but can be used as supplement to yield response.