Genetic Analysis for Yield and Yield Attributing Traits in Cowpea (Vignaunguiculata L. Walp)

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted comprising of the parental lines and F1 progenies derived from a 6 x 6 diallel cross among cowpea varieties, excluding reciprocals. Analysis of variance revealed presence of sufficient variation among the genotypes for all the characters studied. For seed yield both GCA and SCA variances were significant, while GCA variance was significant for pods per cluster and SCA variance was significant for plant height, number of primary branches and pod length. Variety JCC-4 followed by UPC-622 were good general combiner for yield and yield attributing characters. Maximum SCA effect for seed yield per plant was observed with cross JCC-1 x JCC-4 followed by JCC-3 x JCC-4. Genetic analysis revealed that both additive (D) and dominance (H1 and H2) components were involved in controlling most of the characters. The predominant role of non-additive gene action was evident from relatively higher magnitude of dominance components, including H1, H2 and h2.