Combining ability studies in vegetable cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]

Combining ability studies were made in vegetable cowpea using line x tester analysis involving 10 diverse lines and four testers. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes i. e. lines and hybrids for all the characters studied. Preponderance of additive gene action was found for traits like number of pods per plant, 10 pod weight and pods per cluster, while for remaining traits including pod yield per plant, the non-additive gene action was found important. Among the parents JCPL 12, JCPL 16, JCPL 18, JCPL 43, JCPL 86, JCPL 88, Pusa Phalguni and GC 4 were emerged as good general combiners for pod yield per plant. The hybrids JCPL 43 x Pusa Phalguni, JCPL 88 x Arka Garima and JCPL 18 x Pusa Phalguni exhibited high sca effects for pod yield per plant.