Abstract
Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate genetic control of the traits number of days to flowering (NDF) and number of days to maturity (NDM) in a cowpea cross. Genetic parameters were estimated in segregating and non-segregating generations of a cross between two contrasting cowpea genotypes (MNC05-828C-1-9-1 × MNC04-792F-146). No evidence for maternal effect was found for either trait. Broad and narrow sense heritability estimates were above 50%, allowing genetic gains from selection of plants in the F2 generation. High significance of additive gene effects and low contribution of dominance and epistatic effects were detected for both traits. The estimated number of genes controlling the traits was around 4 for NDF and 5 for NDM. The results suggest that early-maturing cowpea self-fertilized cultivars can be developed through standard breeding approaches, meeting the demands of modern agricultural systems for more crop seasons per year and mechanized harvesting.
Highlights
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is a legume of great socioeconomic importance, cultivated in more than 100 countries, mainly in tropical and subtropical zones of the world
In addition to higher grain yield and grain quality, characteristics related to plant architecture have been improved to obtain erect and more compact plants with shorter maturity cycles grown at higher densities to enable mechanized harvesting (Freire Filho et al 2017)
The lines are contrasting for number of days to flowering, around 37 and 44 days, respectively, and for number of days to maturity, around 54 and 61 days, respectively
Summary
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is a legume of great socioeconomic importance, cultivated in more than 100 countries, mainly in tropical and subtropical zones of the world. In Brazil, it is grown mainly in the North and Northeast regions; it has expanded to the Central-West and Southeast regions among mid-sized and corporate growers (Freire Filho et al 2017). Brazilian cowpea production reached 733 thousand tons and a yield of 504 kg ha-1 in 2018/19, occupying 1.455.4 ha of planted area (CONAB 2019). The incorporation of high technological management in cowpea growing has been a trend in recent decades. In addition to higher grain yield and grain quality, characteristics related to plant architecture have been improved to obtain erect and more compact plants with shorter maturity cycles grown at higher densities to enable mechanized harvesting (Freire Filho et al 2017). Early and uniform maturity are characteristics desired for development of cowpea cultivars
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