Phenotypic variability of cowpea accessions Vigna unguiculata from the INIA Germplasm Bank

León-Mendoza L.H.; Castro-Angulo R.; Angulo-Villacorta C.; Campos-Cedano J.; Vásquez-Inuma L.; Sangama-Arirama M.; Solano-Vargas J.; Martínez-Zapata B. · Acta Biologica Colombiana (2026) · DOI: 10.15446/abc.v31n1.123378

Resumen

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a short-cycle crop adapted to tropical and subtropical climates and is important for food security. In this context, in 2021, the Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria (INIA) implemented the tropical legume collection for its propagation, conservation, and study. This study evaluated its phenotypic variability and identified promising accessions using agromorphological descriptors. In 2022–2023, 23 accessions were evaluated using 10 descriptors (seven quantitative and three qualitative); variation was detected only in three quantitative descriptors, and the qualitative descriptors showed high concordance. In 2024, 26 descriptors (14 qualitative and 12 quantitative) were evaluated, and significant differences were found in all descriptors; the traits with the greatest partitioning were 100-seed weight and peduncle size. The multivariate component analysis explained 60.3% of the total variance; Dim1 mainly separated seed biometric traits, while Dim2 explained phenological variation. The Shannon-Weaver and Gini-Simpson indices showed that hilum pattern, seed coat texture, seed shape, hilum color, and immature pod pigmentation had the greatest discriminatory capacity and diversity. Promising accessions with PER registration were selected based on superior values for number of pods per plant, pod size, number of locules per pod, and 100-seed weight, as well as growth habit and growth pattern compatible with the intended use (human consumption or green forage). Based on these criteria, promising accessions were selected for human consumption (PER1005854 and PER1005858) and for forage/cover (PER1005851, PER1005852, PER1005853 and PER1005857).