Study of nature and magnitude of heterotic response in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L). Walp) for yield and its attributing components

The diallel method of analysis was followed involving seven parental lines for study of heterosis for various yield characters in cowpea. The F1’s and their parents were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. Observation were recorded on number of pods /plant, number of seeds/pod, seed weight per plant, 100 seed weight and seed yield /plant. The best heterotic crosses identified were Pant Lobai-2 x Pant Lobia-1 for number of pods per plant, Pant Lobia-3 x Pant Lobia-2 for number of seeds per pod, Pant Lobia-5 x Pant Lobia-1 for seed weight per plant, Pant Lobai-3 x Pant Lobia-1 for 100-seed weight and Pant Lobia-2 x Pant Lobia-1 for seed yield per hectare.