CHARACTERIZATION AND PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS OF TRADITIONAL VARIETIES OF COWPEA FROM THE STATE OF AMAZONAS, BRAZIL

Abstract

The cowpea, a species of particular importance to the populations of the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, exhibits significant genetic variability, as evidenced by the traditional varieties of the species. Consequently, characterization and evaluation activities are imperative to ascertain its salient attributes, particularly for conservation programs that are oriented towards mitigating genetic erosion, as well as for breeding programs. The objective of this study was to conduct a biometric and morphological characterization of the seeds and seedlings of twelve traditional cowpea varieties from the state of Amazonas, Brazil. The descriptors employed for the seeds included weight of 100 units, length, width and thickness; shape; texture and color of the testa; color of the hilum; presence, color and size of the halo. The descriptors employed to characterize the seedlings included the color of the hypocotyl, the color and shape of the first leaves, and the shape of the base and apex of the first leaves. The data was subsequently subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. The seeds exhibited variability in terms of length, width, and thickness, reflecting the diversity inherent in traditional varieties. The morphological characterization of the seeds demonstrated variations among the varieties, particularly concerning the morphology and shape and color of the testa. The morphological descriptors of the seedlings exhibited no differences between the traditional varieties.