PERFORMANCE OF COWPEA GENOTYPES AT HIGHER ALTITUDE OF NWFP

The performance of 24 exotic cowpea genotypes at higher altitude of NWFP was studied at the Agricultural Research Institute (North), Mingora, Swat during kharif 2006. Genotypes were evaluated for days to maturity, plant height, seed pod -1 , 100-seed weight and seed yield. The genotype viz., SADANDY was found the early maturing genotype which took 97 days to maturity, while 3 CCP 915 was the late maturing (124 days). Maximum plant height (236 cm) was recorded for check cultivar Malakand Kulat-II, while minimum plant height (52 cm), for genotype 4 CCP927. Maximum number of seed pod -1 were counted for 4CCP 928, while fewer number of seed pod -1 (7) were recorded for 4CCP 930. Maximum pod length was measured for CP 231 (38 cm), whereas minimum pod length for 4 CCP 928 (10 cm). Highest seed weight (23 g/100 seed) was for 3 CCP 927, while least seed weight (14g/100 seeds) was for 3CCP905, 4CCP 931 and 4 CCP 926. Maximum seed yield of 3550 kg ha -1 was recorded for CP 140 while minimum of 317 kg ha -1 was recorded for 4CCP 931. The genotype CP 140 ranked first by producing higher yield and was early maturing than other genotypes and check varieties. Genotype CP 140 is therefore recommended to the farmers for getting maximum yield under the climatic conditions of Swat.