GRAIN YIELD AND PATH ANALYSIS IN THE EVALUATION OF COWPEA LANDRACES

Authors

  • Thaisy Gardênia Gurgel de Freitas Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8889-4672
  • Paulo Sérgio Lima e Silva Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4465-6517
  • Júlio César DoVale Department of Plant Science, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3497-9793
  • Ítalo Nunes Silva Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0954-1260
  • Edicleide Macedo da Silva Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3196-6516

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-21252019v32n202rc

Keywords:

Vigna unguiculata. Traditional varieties. Yield components. Brazilian Northeast crops. Rio Grande do Norte State.

Abstract

Cowpea is a staple food in the Northeast of Brazil, thus, genetic improvement of this species is important. Samples of cowpea landraces were collected in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, and the most promising ones were evaluated in the present study. The objective was to identify the most productive varieties and the characteristics that have greater direct effect on grain yield, for breeding purposes. Twelve landraces were evaluated using a randomized block design with five replications, in two experiments—one in the dry season, and other in the rainy season. However, water irrigation was used in both experiments, due to the almost total absence of rainfall in the rainy season. The Baraúna, and Carnaubais cowpea varieties were the most productive in both experiments. Campo Grande was the best variety found in the experiment carried out in the dry season. José da Penha, Lagoa de Pedra, Umarizal, and Upanema were the best varieties in the experiment carried out in the rainy season. The number of pods per plant was the characteristic that had greater direct effect on grain yield.

Downloads

Downloads

Published

13-05-2019

Issue

Section

Agronomy