Assessment of morpho-variability between bruchid tolerant AND SUSCEPTIBLE cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) accessions

Cowpea bruchid is a major constraint to cowpea production. Easy identification of resistant/tolerant accessions infestation has been challenge in resistant breeding programmes. Hence, the study was aimed evaluate variations some morphological characters between and susceptible accessions, correlating them with their tolerance status hope identifying pointer character(s) that can facilitate easy tolerant among germplasm. Sixty were collected evaluated for tolerance. Accessions then grouped into tolerant. These planted Randomized Complete Block Design ten replicates. Morphological differences groups accordingly. Of sixty evaluated, fifty-two while eight No qualitative observed groups, however significant quantitative which include terminal leaflet length, leaflet/width ratio, leaf petiole length (TLPL), pod (PDL), width, total number pods per plant, seed (SDL), width (SDW), thickness (SDTK) 100 weight (100SDW). Bruchid significantly positively correlated include, SDL (r = 0.798, p < 0.01); SDW SDTK 0.758, 0.01);100SDW (0.830, 0.01) negatively TLPL PDL (p 0.05). provide germplasm, hence requires further investigations.
 Keywords: Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata, Bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus, Morphology