Kusi Francis, Adu Amoah Richard, Attamah Patrick, Alhassan Shaibu, Yahaya Damba, Awuku Justice Frederick, Nbonyine Jerry A, Amegbor Isaac, Mensah Gloria, Sugri Issah, Zakaria Mukhtaru, Lamini Salim, Asungre Peter, Aziiba Emmanuel Asibi, Yirzagla Julius, Duku Emmanuel Boamah, Kotey Daniel Ashie, Asante Isaac
CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Tamale, Ghana.
CSIR-Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute, Bunso, Ghana.
PLoS One. 2025 Jan 24;20(1):e0314464. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0314464. eCollection 2025.
Cowpea is deemed as a food security crop due to its ability to produce significant yields under conditions where other staples fail. Its resilience in harsh environments; such as drought, heat and marginal soils; along with its nitrogen-fixing capabilities and suitability as livestock feed make cowpea a preferred choice in many farming systems across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite its importance, Cowpea yields in farmers' fields remain suboptimal, primarily due to biotic and abiotic factors and the use of either unimproved varieties or improved varieties that are not well-suited to local conditions. Multi environment testing of genotypes is essential for recommending varieties suited for either specific or for wide cultivation. This study aimed, to identify and recommend cowpea breeding lines for wide or specific cultivation in the Sudan Savanna and Deciduous Forest zones of Ghana. The research utilized twenty early-maturing advance cowpea breeding lines and three check varieties (released varieties). The experiment was conducted in two locations: Bunso in the Deciduous Forest zone and Manga in the Sudan Savanna zone over 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 cropping seasons. Combined analysis of variance revealed a significant genotype-environment interaction (GEI) which accounted for 35.12% of the variation in yield. The environments were classified into three mega environments, with Bunso_2021 identified as the near-ideal environment where the genotypes exhibited their maximum genetic potentials. In terms of adaption, genotype UG_04 demonstrated broad adaption, showing high yield and stability across all test environments. Genotypes UG_01 and UG_02 performed particularly well in Bunso_2021 and Bunso_2022, while UG_04 and UG_14 excelled in Manga_2021. These findings provide valuable insights for selecting cowpea varieties that can enhance productivity and stability in diverse agro-ecological zones.
豇豆因其在其他主食作物歉收的条件下仍能实现高产的能力，而被视为一种粮食安全作物。它在干旱、高温和边际土壤等恶劣环境中具有韧性，同时具备固氮能力且适合作为牲畜饲料，这使得豇豆成为撒哈拉以南非洲（SSA）许多农业系统中的首选作物。尽管豇豆很重要，但农民田间的豇豆产量仍未达到最佳水平，主要原因是生物和非生物因素，以及使用的要么是未经改良的品种，要么是不太适合当地条件的改良品种。对基因型进行多环境测试对于推荐适合特定种植或广泛种植的品种至关重要。本研究旨在识别并推荐适合在加纳苏丹草原和落叶林地区广泛种植或特定种植的豇豆育种系。该研究使用了20个早熟的先进豇豆育种系和3个对照品种（已发布品种）。试验在两个地点进行：落叶林地区的本索和苏丹草原地区的曼加，跨越2020/2021和2021/2022种植季节。方差的联合分析显示存在显著的基因型 - 环境互作（GEI），其占产量变异的35.12%。这些环境被分为三个大环境，本索_2021被确定为近乎理想的环境，基因型在该环境中展现出其最大遗传潜力。在适应性方面，基因型UG_04表现出广泛适应性，在所有测试环境中均表现出高产和稳定性。基因型UG_01和UG_02在本索_2021和本索_2022中表现特别出色，而UG_04和UG_14在曼加_2021中表现优异。这些发现为选择能够提高不同农业生态区生产力和稳定性的豇豆品种提供了有价值的见解。
