Association analysis of morpho-physiological traits in vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.)

Abstract

Vegetables play a vital role in health and nutritional security of human beings. Cowpea is an annual herbaceous legume mostly grown in arid to semiarid parts, providing rich source of nutrition in diet. The genetics of traits and their relativeness in productivity was determined by studying thirteen morpho-physiological traits during summer 2018 at Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat. Sufficient genetic variability for green pod yield and its attributes was observed among twelve advanced lines and cultivars. Maximum positive correlation depicted by pod yield per plant with harvest index followed by chlorophyll content, plant height and nitrogen content of pods at phenotypic level while, negative correlation was exerted with the number of leaves, primary branches, days to 50 per cent flowering and secondary branches. The path analysis depicted protein content of green pod having higher positive direct effect followed by harvest index and total dry weight whereas, nitrogen content of green pod had negative direct effect on green pod yield per plant followed by secondary branches, the number of leaves and nitrogen content in plant part.

Keywords

• cowpea
• chlorophyll
• green pod
• leaf area