Agronomic Evaluation of 12 cultivars of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) in Kabinda zone, Lomami province in DR CONGO

In the present investigtion, twelve cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) germoplasms were evaluate in Kabinda zone during the first growing season A 2015-2016. The main purpose of the investigation was to estimate the growth and yield performance of twelve cowpea germoplasms for improving selection in cowpea. The study was conducted using a randomized block design with for replications. The results showed that varieties CNGKASC2-1, CNGKASC5-2-0-T and CNGKASB6-1A gave higher seeds yields, whereas CNGKASB7B-1, CNGKAS C6-1-1, CNGKAS A7-0-L and CNGKAS C5-1-1-R had lower seed yields. They observed high positive significant correlations for vegetative and reproductive traits. Therefore, in the present study with cowpea, a high impact of direct effects of correlation suggested that going for plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches, number pod per peduncle, number of pod per plant; pod long and seed weight would be effective for improving seed yield in cowpea.