No abstract

Farmer participatory selection of varieties in crop improvement is considered as an accelerating process in identifying adaptable varieties for farmer grown conditions. To compare the effectiveness of farmer participation in varietal selection with respect to selection at breeding stations, lines derived from two cowpea crosses CP 19 x Waruni and CP 20 x CP 22 at the Grain Legumes and Oil Crops Research and Development Center, Angunakolapellessa, using three breeding methods (pedigree, modified bulk and single seed descent) were evaluated in two Randomized Complete Block Designs during Yala 2013 and Maha 2013/14. Each trial included 30 lines which represented 10 best lines per breeding method and the parents of the cross. Same varietal composition was tested in three selected farmer fields with respect to each cross in RCBD with two replicates. At the maturity stage, evaluating of varieties of both trials of the research station was carried out by farmers and the breeders in two seasons. Farmer field trials were also evaluated following the same procedure by inviting the nearby cowpea cultivating farmers for each trial. Yields were also recorded in each farmer trial. Lines/method was found to be significant for all the characteristics studied at the research station trial for the cross CP 19 x Waruni while pod length, hundred seed weight and yield were significant for the lines in CP 20x CP 22 cross for both seasons. Mean sum of squares of seed per pod in both crosses were significantly different among three breeding methods but for other characteristics, methods were not significantly different. There was a significant difference among tested lines for farmer scores and breeder scores on the basis of Friedman test for each trial in both seasons at the research station. Except Sewanagala trial of CP19 x Waruni cross and Mahawewa trial of CP 20 x CP22 cross, lines tested in other trials at farmer fields were significantly different for farmer scores. According to adaptability testing there was a significant positive correlation with farmer ranks at farmer field level with ranking method and variance component method ranks. The correlation of breeders' ranks at the research station level with the adaptability ranks were comparatively lower than the farmer ranks at farmer field level. With respect to the four adaptability rankings, CP19 x Waruni cross has ranked five lines, S1-53, S1-35, B1-74, B1-64 and B1-39while CP 20 x CP22 cross ranked three lines B2-15, S2-64 and Waruni as the best. Since the top ranking lines mostly belonged to SSD and modified bulk breeding methods the two methods can be effectively used for the cowpea improvement. Further farmer participation in variety selection at their own field conditions will be much effective in testing of adaptabilities along with the proper analysis methods.

Effectiveness of different breeding methods in crop improvement is important to the breeders of a particular crop. .Hence, the effectiveness of three breeding methods namely, pedigree, single seed descent and modified bulk were evaluated using two cowpea [The ten best lines from each method were selected at F5 generation and advanced to F6 generation. The selected 30 lines from the three breeding methods, two parents and three standard checks were tested for each cross in a Randomized Complete Block Design during 2013 Yala season. Data were recorded on plant height at maturity, number of peduncles per plant, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, average length of pod, hundred seed weight and yield per plant in F4, F5 and F6 generations. Lines/methods were found to be significant (p<0.05) for all the characteristics studied at F6 generation, except the number of pods per plant and pod length in CP 19 x Waruni and seed per pod in CP 20 x Cp 22. The mean sum of squares of days to maturity in CP 19 x Waruni and seed per pod in both crosses were found to be significantly different among three breeding methods but for other characteristics, methods were found to be not significantly different (p<0.05). The pods per plant and hundred seed weight recorded attractive narrow sense heritability values and significant intergeneration correlations. Positive phenotypic correlations were recorded between the seed yield and pods per plant in F4, F5 and F6 generations. Accordingly, in cowpea improvement, comparable results could be obtained among pedigree, single seed descent and modified bulk methods. In addition, indirect selection for higher number of pods per plant and hundred seed weight could increase seed yield.