Estimates of Phenotypic and Genotypic Variance and Heritability in Eighty-Nine Bambara Groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdcourt] Accessions Collected from Six Regions of Niger
Abdou Zakary Yaou Ibrahim
Laboratory for the Management and Valorization of Biodiversity in the Sahel (GeVaBioS), Faculty of Science and Techniques, BP 10662 Ny, Abdou Moumouni University, Niger.
Maina Fanna
Regional Agricultural Research Center of the National Institute of Agronomic Research of Niger. (INRAN), Niger.
Harouna Issa Amadou *
Laboratory for the Management and Valorization of Biodiversity in the Sahel (GeVaBioS), Faculty of Science and Techniques, BP 10662 Ny, Abdou Moumouni University, Niger.
Assoumane Aichatou
Laboratory for the Management and Valorization of Biodiversity in the Sahel (GeVaBioS), Faculty of Science and Techniques, BP 10662 Ny, Abdou Moumouni University, Niger.
Ali Malam Labo Mohamed
Information and Research Department, Regional Center, AGRHYMET, BP: 11011, Niamey, Niger.
Alhassane Agali
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Niger.
Idi Saidou Sani
Plant Production and Biodiversity Department of Agronomic Sciences Faculty, University of Diffa, BP: 78, Diffa, Niger.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc. (Fabaceae)] is a legume mainly cultivated by women, for the nutritional quality of these seeds. It is a so-called minor culture and the improvement of the plant and its popularization remains to be promoted. The objective of this present work is to evaluate the genetic variability of bambara groundnut accessions. The experiment was carried out according to a completely randomized block device with four replications. Twenty-two (22) characters including four (4) phenological, four (4) morphological and fourteen (14) related to yield were evaluated for accessions characterization. Descriptive analysis showed significant differences. The coefficients of variation ranged from 3.51% (maturity date) to 38.87% (shell weight). Significantly high values (CV˃20%) for 8 of the metric parameters were observed. Pod weight per plant and seed weight per plant (r=0.943), yield in kg/ha (r=0.943); seed weight per plant and yield in kg/ha (r=0.999) showed the strongest correlations. The phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were high for dry biomass weight (PCV=42.23%; GCV=28.40%), shell weight (PCV=63.46%; GCV=22.46%) and 100-seed weight (PCV=25.57%; GCV=25.25%). Maturity date (95.77%) and 100-seed weight (99.84%) had high heritabilities. Broad-sense heritability and genetic gain are high for 100-seed weight (H2=99.84%; GA=52.58%). The Ascending hierarchical classification produced four groups of which group 4 is the most efficient in yield with short (20.58cm) early accessions (80.32 days). Groups 1 and 2 include, late accessions (~22cm) with respectively maturity dates (DM=85.67 days and DM=86.53 days.
Keywords: Vigna subterranea L, Sahelian zone, diversity, genotypic, phenotypic, Niger