Caracterización morfoagronómica y nutricional de 30 genotipos de fríjol caupí [Vigna unguiculata (L.) WALP.]

Abstract

Cowpea beans [Vigna unguiculata (L.) WALP.], Is one of the oldest sources of human food and, given the high cost of animal proteins, is the most economical viable protein source, therefore it represents one of the the most important vegetable crops in the world and the main food crops in Africa, Latin America and India; In the Caribbean region of Colombia it is of great social, economic and nutritional importance, since it is part of the diet of all its inhabitants, who consume it in different presentations, this makes it an alternative that partially mitigates problems of malnutrition in vulnerable sectors of various departments in this part of the country. The University of Córdoba has in custody a collection of germplasm of this species made up of 55 entries between Creole and foreign materials, without morphoagronomic characterization; Morphoagronomic characterization studies are important for the conservation of phytogenetic resources, also for the knowledge of phenotypic variation, the relationship between genotypes and the identification of parents with characteristics of interest to obtain new genetic materials, in programs of improvement of a species . In the present study, 30 cowpea bean accessions were evaluated, based on 36 morphoagronomic characters, taking as reference the descriptors of the species generated by the IBPGR, multivariate analysis techniques called principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used in the identification of characters. Discriminators for the quantification of the genetic diversity of the evaluated germplasm, and identification of materials with interesting traits, especially vigor, grain size, grain color and iron, zinc and protein contents. The results demonstrated the existence of genetic variability and the contribution of some characters to this, the most contrasting accessions for traits of agronomic and nutritional interest, are suggested as progenitors of future hybridizations to take advantage of heterosis, this in order to improve yield and quality. Nutritional status of existing genotypes.