BREEDING FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN PROGNIES OF COWPEA (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp)

A field experiment was undertaken for two seasons viz spring and autumn of 2013 on farm of Department of field crop science, College of Agriculture university of Baghdad for genetic improvement and screening high yielding cultivars of cowpea under water stress condition. In this study total three progenies i.e. S1, S2, S3 were planted under two period of irrigation. All among the tested progenies S3 proved best in all tested parameters. Highest amount of chlorophyll content (65.20 & 56) was reported from the S3 progeny under period of 10 days irrigation in both seasons. In addition, same progeny have about 0.88 and 0.91 relative water content (RWC), 27 & 36 pod per branch, 13 & 12 seeds per pod and 79.39 & 109.29 gm/plant yield under the period of 10 days irrigation respectively for two seasons. The selection led to increase the effectiveness of physiological and morphological traits, which can be considered as effects of selection criteria on plant yield. Results of the study recommended the use selection methods to for developing cultivars of high vigor.