GENETIC DIVERGENCE IN COWPEA [VIGNA UNGUICULATA (L.) WALP.]

A field experiment was conducted with 60 genotypes of cowpea to study the diversity among the genotypes which were grouped in to 12 clusters revealing the presence of considerable diversity in the material. The clustering pattern of the varieties usually did not confirm to geographical distribution. Inter cluster distance and mean cluster character values indicated that hybridization of cluster-X variety (JCPL-134) with cluster-IV varieties (JCPL-1, JCPL-13 and JCPL-21) and cluster-V varieties (JCPL-50 and JCPL-133) with cluster-III varieties (JCPL-26 and JCPL-131) would exhibit high heterosis and also result in transgressive segregants with higher yield. It was also noted that genotypes of cluster-X which had higher duster mean values for yield and other desired characters like leaf area, ten pods weight, number of pods per plant and green pod yield per plant etc. could be directly tested in multilocation trials for their suitability or could be used as a donor parent in breeding programme. The characters like plant height, green pod yield per plant, protein content and leaf area were found to contribute much to the total genetic divergence in cowpea.