Advanced evaluation of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata ) accessions for fodder production in the central rift valley of Ethiopia

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at Adami Tulu Research Center in 2004 with 37 selected lines of grain type cowpea (Vignia species) germ-plasm introduced from Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Lowland Pulse Improvement Program for the advanced nursery trial. Dolichos lablab (Lablab purpureius both var. Highworth and Rongai) and cowpea (Vignia ungiculata var. white worder training type) were included as a control for herbage yield and quality evaluation and ranking. The top ten accessions of cowpea (IT82D 889, TUX 1948-01F, TVU 1142 4, IT85F 2687, 82D 504-4, IT84D-448, IT93K2046-2, IT87D 551-1, IITAUK91-12, 87D -1802,) and Dolichos lablab var. Rongai was selected using the visual observation data taken during the 2004 growing season and promoted for further advanced evaluation. Advanced evaluation was carried out during the growth period, 2005 and 2006, using randomized complete block design (RCBD) of three replication of plot size 3 × 2 m. Fresh weight yield, hay yield, grain yield of both years showed statistically significant difference among accessions (p<0.005) during both growing periods. There was statistically significant difference in percentage dry matter (DM%), percentage organic matter (OM%), percentage ash (ASH%) and percentage crude protein (CP%) (P<0.0001) and the highest value of 88.94, 79.32, 12.09 and 22.3% were shown by accessions IITAUK91-12, IT87D 551-1, 87D -1802 and IT93K 2046-2, respectively. The different accessions responded to the different seasons differently based on the rainfall duration in their herbage and grain yield that needs further categorization. Key words: Adami Tulu, Dolichos lablab, herbage var. Rongai yield.