The Effect of Genetic Variation and Trait Association in Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp]

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for estimate the genetic variability and trait association for yield and yield attributing characters among eighteen genotypes of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications at Research Farm, College of Agriculture, Fatehpur-Shekhawati, Sikar during kharif 2024. The analysis of variance in genotypes for all the character revealed the significant genetic variability. The high magnitudes of phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV) were observed for characters like plant height and pods per cluster. While, moderate magnitude of  genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) were observed plant height, branches per plant, pods per plant, pods per cluster and 100-seed weight. The high heritability was estimated for plant height, 100-seed weight and pods per cluster. The high genetic advance was estimated for plant height, 100-seed weight and pods per cluster. Trait association estimate of grain yield per plant had significant and positive association with plant height, branches per plant, clusters per plant, pods per cluster and pods per plant at genotypic level and branches per plant, pods per cluster and seed per pod at phenotypic levels.