Evaluation of early generation selection procedures for yield in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)

Abstract

Abstract The objectives of the study were to evaluate early-generation selection procedures for their effectiveness in isolating high-yielding lines and to ascertain the relationship between yield performance in early (F 3 ) generation and later generations (F 5 and F 8 ). Four selection procedures viz: single plant selection (SPS), single plant bulk (SPB), bulk single plant (BSP) and selected bulk (SB) were used based on F 3 yield evaluation. Lines arising from these procedures in six crosses were compared in F 8 for yield performance. Unselected lines were used as control. The differences among the four selection procedures with respect to grain yield were not significant. However, the most high-yielding lines were from the SPS procedure. The SB procedure gave the lowest number of high-yielding lines but required the least amount of land. The mean yields of F 3 lines and bulks and the yields of F 5 and F 8 derived lines were significantly correlated, r = 0.64 ∗∗ and r = 0.70 ∗∗ , respectively, indicating the effectiveness of early-generation selection for yield in cowpea.