Variation in Pod Yield Characters and Heritability Estimates in Some Cultivars of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc

Variation in pod and seed yield among twelve cultivars of Bambara groundnut was investigated in 2004 and 2005 cropping seasons. The mean performance revealed that BG7004AS despite its recorded low number of pods per plant, had the highest 100 seed weight, pod width, pod length, seed width and seed length, followed by BG7002AS, BG7009BS and BG70010AS, which had the best yield and yield component attributes, indicating their suitability for hybridization. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences (p<0.05) among the cultivars for most of the characters evaluated. The genotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 3.29 for height at 8 weeks after sowing to 26.15 for 100 seed weight, while the phenotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 4.93 for shelling percentage to 26.56 for 100 seed weight. Furthermore, estimates genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation as well broad sense heritability was also high for characters in 2004 relative 2005. Seed length, pod length and pod width recorded 100% broad sense heritability estimates and high genetic advance, indicating that these characters are under additive genetic control and selection for improvement will be worthwhile and may rapidly contribute to seed yield in bambara groundnut cultivars.