Inheritance study of qualitative and quantitative characters in cowpea varieties (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp)

• Main Authors: Tejashree S. Lachyan, S.S. Desai and, V.V. Dalvi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Indian Society of Plant Breeders 2016-09-01
• Series: Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding
• Subjects: cowpea; quantitative traits; joint segregation; 2 test; qualitative traits
• Online Access: http://ejplantbreeding.org/index.php/EJPB/article/view/945

Two parents namely Konkan Safed and Konkan Sadabahar were used to study inheritance of four qualitative characters (i.e., growth habit, flower colour, seed coat colour and seed coat colour pattern) and four quantitative characters i.e. pod length (centimeters), number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod and 100 seed weight (gm). The qualitative characters were studied using chi-square test. The results showed monogenic inheritance for all four qualitative traits. Joint segregation was studied and linkage was revealed. The quantitative characters were studied by comparison of range, mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation in parents, F1 and F2 generation. The amount of variability generated in F2 for pod length was more than both the parents and F1. This result can be used for further selection of plant progenies for crop improvement programme.