Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the fresh pod yield, some plant and pod characteristics of eight local cowpea genotypes and two registered cowpea cultivars as control during 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 plant growth season in Samsun. Plant height, number of branches per plant, days to first pod setting, fresh pod harvest period, number of pods per plant, average pod weight, pod length, width, thickness, flesh thickness and seed coat, flower and pod colour were determined. Simple correlations were also calculated between fresh pod yield per plant and all investigated traits. The highest fresh pod yield per plant was in G10 genotype (110.23 g plant-1). This was followed by registered cowpea cv. Karagoz-86 (81.92 g plant-1), Akkiz-86 (58.12 g plant-1) and Kirazlik1 (54.55 g plant-1). Positive and highly significant (P<0.01) correlations were found between fresh pod yield per plant and fresh pod harvest period, number of pods per plant, average pod weight, length and width. There were also positive and significant (P<0.05) correlations among fresh pod yield per plant, number of branches per plant and pod thickness.