Character Expression and Differences in Yield Potential of Ten Genotypes of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp)

Abstract

Cowpea, an important grain legume in the tropics and sub-tropics; serves as a source of protein in the diets of the people with tremendous ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen for soil improvement. Ten (10) genotypes of cowpea were grown during the rainy season of 2013 to study the interrelationship among quantitative traits. Estimates of phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation, broad sense heritability, and genetic advance as percent of mean and correlations were performed on 20 quantitative traits. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at the Research Field of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Genotypes differed significantly at (P ≤ 0.01) for all traits studied which showed the existence of sufficient genetic variability among the tested genotypes. High broad sense heritability values for all traits studied except for plant height (moderate) shows that these traits are less influenced by environmental effects; which make them effectively transmitted to the progeny. The high positive genotypic and phenotypic correlations between numbers of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, number of seeds per plant and seed weight indicates that selection for these will result in increase in yield.