Vol. 11, Issue 5 (2022)

Author(s):
Manimozhi Selvi V, A Nirmalakumari, R Amutha, G Selvakumar and CR Ananthakumar

Abstract:
The present investigation was carried out in F₁, F₂ and F₃ generations of four inter sub-specific crosses (RC101×Vyjayanthi, RC101× Vellayani jyothica, ACM 05-02×Ettumanoor local and ACM 05-07× Vyjayanthi) of cowpea to identify the promising segregants for further use in future cowpea breeding programmes. The F₂ and F₃ progenies were evaluated along with their parents. The breeding nature of the segregants were investigated by their mean performance, phenotypic and genotypic variability for the traits viz., days to first flowering, plant height, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, pod length, number of seeds per pod, hundred seed weight and single plant yield. Among the four crosses, the variances due to phenotypic and genotypic causes were high in F₂ compared to F₃ generation for all characters except pod length which had higher values in F₃ than F₂ in crosses RC101×Vyjayanthi and RC101× Vellayani jyothica. The increase in the pod length in F₃ might be due to persistence of heterozygosity and expression of hidden genes in F₂. The estimates of heritability and genetic advance were high in both F₂ and F₃ generations of all the crosses for number of pods per plant and single plant yield. Selection for these traits might be very effective in crosses ACM 05 07 × Vyjayanthi and RC101 × Vyjayanthi.