Heterosis for yield and yield related traits in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp)

The present investigation entitled “Heterosis for yield and yield related traits in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp).” was carried out at Experimental Research farm, Department of Agricultural Botany Dr. B S Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli (MS). The material for the present investigation comprised eleven parents, twenty four crosses, and two checks. Hybridization was carried out during Kharif, 2015 in Line x Tester crossing blocks and F1s were evaluated in Kharif, 2016 in randomized block design with two replications. The ten characters studied were, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of clusters per plant, pods per plant, pod length, grains per pod, test weight, grain yield per plant and harvest index. Considerable magnitude of heterosis was expressed in hybrids for yield and yield related traits. The crosses viz., H 2 (CPD -219 X GS-9240), H 13 (CPD -193 X PCP-97102) for grain yield per plant (g), while significant heterobeltiosis were recorded in cross H 2 (CPD -219 X GS-9240), H 13 (CPD -193 X PCP-97102) and H1 (CPD -219 X PCP-97102). Significant economic heterosis over both check was observed in hybrid H16 (CPD -173 X PCP-97102), H13 (CPD -193 X PCP-97102) and H 2 (CPD -219 X GS-9240) for grain yield per plant.