PHENOTYPIC AND GENOTYPIC CORRELATIONS IN COWPEA (Vijgna unguiculata (L.) Walp)
PHENOTYPIC AND GENOTYPIC CORRELATIONS IN COWPEA (Vijgna unguiculata (L.) Walp)
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Date
1988-08
Authors
ZARIA, AMINU ABDU
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Abstract
Studies were carried out to determine phenotypic,
genotypic and environmental correlations between
number of pods/plant, number of seeds/plant, yield/
plant, days to flowering, number of seeds/pod and
seed size using three intervarietal crosses of cowpea.
Another objective was to determine heritability and
mode of inheritance of each of the six characters.
The experiments were conducted in 1984 and 1985
at Samaru (11° 11'N. 7° 38'E, altitude 636m).
Three varieties, three F1 hybrids and their corresponding
F2S were space-planted in 4 replications of a randomized
complete block design (RCED) for the evaluations.
Heritability estimates in the broad sense
were very high for pods/plant, seeds/plant and seed
size. There were positive and consistent correlations
between pods/plant with seeds/plant and yield; seeds/
plant and yield/plant and yield/plant with seed size.
The characters, pods/plant, seeds/plant and seed size
were positively correlated with yield and exhibited
transgressive segregation. This shows their value
in indirect selection to improve yield, especially when
using pure-line selection.
Polygenic inheritance for these characters was
indicated by unimodality in the F2 distribution of the
crosses in both years. Complementary gene effects, as
evidenced by skewness of all F2 distributions, were
also indicated.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Post-Graduate School in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
in
CROP BREEDING
Department of Plant Science
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Nigeria
August, 1988
Keywords
PHENOTYPIC,, GENOTYPIC,, CORRELATIONS,, COWPEA,, (Vijgna unguiculata (L.) Walp)