Combining ability analysis in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L| walp)

Abstract

Combining ability was studied in a 10 x 10 diallel cross in cowpea for nine important characters. The variance due to general combining ability and specific combining ability showed both additive and non-additive gene action for plant height, primary branches, days to flowering, pod length, pod weight, pods per plant, seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and yield per plant. Among ten parental lines, Arka Garima, VU-18, Selection 2-1, Section 263, Pusa Komal and Kanakamoni were good general combiners for most of the yield components. The hybrids VU-18 x Arka Garima and Selection 2-1 x VS 389 possessed high specific combining ability effects for yield per plant.