Genetics of seed related attributes in cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]

An investigation to study the genetics of seed related attributes was undertaken in cowpea. Three crosses (GC 2 x PGCP 5, GC 2 x PGCP 13 and GC 516 x PGCP 1) along with its parental seed, F-2, BCI and BCII made the complete set of six generations (P-1, P-2 F-1, F-2, BCI and BCII) for genetic analysis. The experiment was laid out in a Compact Family Block Design with three replications during kharif2011. A single replication comprised of one row of parents and F1, two rows of the backcrosses generations, BCI and BCII and four rows of the F-2. Genetics of seed related attributes, viz., flower colour, seed colour, seed surface, pod beak colour, calyx pigmentation and pod colour at maturity, were studied following Chi-square test of statistical significance. The results evident that flower colour in all the three crosses studied appeared to be controlled by single gene inheritance with violet flower colour dominant over white flower colour. Similarly, seed surface, pod beak colour and calyx pigmentation also appeared to be controlled by single gene inheritance, in which smooth seed surface dominant over rough seed surface, green pod beak colour dominant over red pod beak colour and green calyx pigmentation dominant over red calyx pigmentation. The inheritance of seed colour and pod colour at maturity appeared to be controlled by two gene interactions with supplementary gene action, with dominance of black seed colour over brown and white seed colour, and black pod colour dominant to red and brown colour. Dominance expression of different characters could be utilized as a good marker for different breeding activities.