Study of Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance in Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp]

Studies on genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance were carried out with thirty genotype of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] for 16 traits. Significant differences among the genotypes for all the characters indicating existence of ample variability in the experimental material for all the characters. High to moderate range of variation was observed for important yield components. The estimate of genotypic and phenotypic co-efficient of variation were high for number of branches per plant, pod yield per plot (kg), total number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod. The values of phenotypic co-efficient of variation were higher than their genotypic co-efficients of variation for all the characters indicating the influence of environmental factors. High heritability along with high genotypic co-efficient of variation was observed for number of branches per plant, pod yield per plot (kg), total number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod indicating scope for improvement by selection and breeding programme.