Diallel analysis of cowpea [<i>Vigna unguiculata</i> (L.) Walp.] for seed size, and resistance to <i>Alectra vogelii</i> Benth.

Abstract

Cowpea production is hampered by several abiotic and biotic constraints. Parasitic weed Alectra vogelii is a formidable biotic constraint in cowpea production. This study was implemented to determine gene actions involved in cowpea seed size and its resistance to Alectra in order to determine the appropriate breeding approach to develop resistant cowpea varieties to Alectra vogelii. For this purpose, a half diallel of 9 parents was developed at Kamboinse in 2016. The F 1 and their parents were screened in screen house with Alectra vogelii seed collected from Alectra infested field in Koupela in centre east Burkina Faso. Data were collected on dates to cowpea flowering, cowpea hundred seeds weight and the severity of Alectra 70 days after planting and analysed with Diall 98 software. Both additive and non-additive gene actions were operative for the investigated characters. Additive gene effects were more important, resulting in high narrow sense heritability, inferring that breeding progress can be achieved through backcross or single seed descent method.

Combining Ability of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) Genotypes for Resistance to Cowpea Bacterial Blight in Uganda

“…The diallel cross as a method of hybridization has been defined as the group of all possible crosses among several parental genotypes (Owusu et al, 2020, Griffings 1956. Diallel analysis has been used in cowpea to provide important information on GCA and SCA, determine genetic variances, estimate heritability, and maternal effects (Dieni, et al, 2019, Hazra et al 1994. Therefore, a study of the combining abilities of a set of genotypes, through diallel analysis, will undoubtedly contribute to the achievement of the research objectives.…”