Variability studies in some qualitative characters of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) (L.) Walp) accessions from four cowpea-growing regions of Ghana

Abstract

Forty-five cowpea accessions, randomly selected from cowpea germplasm from four cowpea-growing regions Of Ghana, namely, Upper East, Upper West, Northern, and Eastern Regions, were characterized and evaluated to determine the range of variability in qualitative characters in the samples. Variability was observed in growth habit, twining tendency, plant and pod pigmentation, and raceme position. Accessions from the Upper West, Northern and Eastern Regions showed three types of growth habit: prostrate, semi-prostrate and intermediate, with the semi-prostrate type in the majority, whilst and Upper East Region showed only the semi-prostrate type. Accessions from the Northern and Eastern Regions showed three types of twining tendency, namely, no twining, slight, and intermediate twining, whilst the Upper East Region accessions showed only none twining types. Majority of the accessions showed the no twining type. All the regions showed great variability in plant and immature pod pigmentation in the cowpea accessions. Two types of flower colour were observed, purple and white. With the exception of the Upper East Region accessions which showed only white flower colour, accessions from all the other regions showed both white and purple colours with the accessions with purple colour in the majority. In most of the accessions from the Upper West, Northern and Eastern Regions, the racemes were held above the canopy.


Ghana Jnl.agric. Sci Vol.32(1), 1999: 3-10