Biometric genetics in Cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) I: phenotypic and genotypic relations among production components

In the semi-arid region of Paraiba, cowpea has low productivity due to irregular rainfall and poor use of production technologies. An extensive study aimed at selecting more productive cultivars was conducted using biometric models. This first work had the following objectives: i. Quantify direct and indirect effects of primary and secondary components on grain production; ii. Identify variables with greater potential for cultivar selection in the semiarid region of Paraiba and iii. Determine the most appropriate selection strat-egies for the evaluated variables. The experiment was conducted in an experimental field. The influence of 6 primary and 6 secondary production components was evaluated on grain yield. Data were subjected to ANOVA. Genetic parameters, correlations and path analysis were estimated. Given the strong direct phenotypic and genotypic effects, pod yield results the most promising variable for higher grain yield selection. Direct and simultaneous selec-tions are the most suitable strategies for the set of evaluated variables. However, further studies on selection indices are necessary to maximize genetic gains.