Characterization and evaluation of genetic divergence in Indian cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.)

Abstract

Genetic divergence studied in cowpea during Kharif 2016-17 at student farm of Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture& Technology, Kanpur (U.P.). The thirty two cowpea varieties were evaluated for eleven quantitative characters viz. days to flower initiation, days to maturity, plant height(cm),pod length(cm), number of pods per plant, number of branches per plant, leaf length (cm ), leaf width (cm), leaf : stem ratio, st over of yield per plant (gm.) and seed yield per plant (gm.). Genetic divergence was determine using D2 and all the thirty two genotype s were grouped into six cluster. Maximum inter cluster distance were observed between I and VI followed by cluster VI and IV and cluster VI and V. Cluster I hold first rank in days to initiation flowering, pod length, number of pods per plant, and Cluster II hold first rank in days to maturity, number of branches per plant and seed yield per plant and Cluster IV hold first rank in leaf width, leaf: stem ratio, st over yield per plant. It is suggested that the crosses between I, II and IV may be effective component characters in hybridization.