Landraces of cowpea, Vignaunguiculata (L.) Walp., as potential sources of genes for unique characters in breeding

Hegde, V.S. and Mishra, S.K. (2008) Landraces of cowpea, Vignaunguiculata (L.) Walp., as potential sources of genes for unique characters in breeding. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 56 (5). pp. 615-627.

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Abstract

Cowpea landraces belonging to Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. subsp. unguiculata cv.-gr. unguiculata and cv.-gr. sesquipedalis collected from part of the Deccan Plateau and West Coast of India were evaluated to (i) identify the diverse source(s) of variation for improved characters like pods/peduncle and seed index (ii) study the response of landraces for adaptation to drought and heat stress and (iii) understand the breeding value of a landrace in the genetic improvement of a popular cowpea cultivar. Landraces were evaluated for various morphological characters, pods/peduncle, seed index and other economically important agronomic traits, rust resistance and drought and heat tolerance in different years and environments. Landraces were found as an important source of genetic variability for pods/plant, pods/peduncle, better pod filling ability (seed index), grain yield/plant as well as drought and heat tolerance and rust resistance. Hybridization between C 152 (cv.) and DWDCC 016 (landrace) resulted in release of new variation not present in the two parents. Thus the landrace, DWDCC 016, can be utilized to improve cultivated varieties by transferring to them the economically valuable traits like pods/peduncle and seed index thereby enhancing realisation of sink potential and ultimately grain yield in a sustainable way.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	The first author thanks the Director and the Joint Director (Research), Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi for providing the necessary facilities to conduct these experiments. Thanks are also due to technical and supporting staff of the Centre for their assistance in recording field data.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Abiotic stress, Cowpea landraces, Pods/peduncle, Rust resistance, Seed index, Transgressive segregation,Vigna unguiculata
Author Affiliation:	1.Indian Agricultural Research Institute Centre for Pulses Improvement Dharwad 580 005 Karnataka India
Subjects:	Crop Improvement
Divisions:	Other Crops
Depositing User:	Mr Siva Shankar
Date Deposited:	02 Feb 2012 08:49
Last Modified:	02 Feb 2012 08:49
Official URL:	http://www.springerlink.com/content/0925-9864/
URI:	http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/2992

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