Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance studies in F2 generation of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp]

The present experiment entitled "Genetic variability and character association studies in F2 generation of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp)" was undertaken to assess the genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in F2 progenies of eighteen crosses of cowpea in Randomized Block Design with two replications at Educational and Research Farm, Department of Agril. Botany, College of Agriculture, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra during Rabi 2023-24. The estimates of mean sum of squares of F2 progenies of eighteen crosses was highly significant for all the characters under study. Phenotypic variances were higher in magnitude than genotypic variances for all the characters. Number of pods per plants and seed yield per plant showed highest estimate of phenotypic and genotypic variance. High estimates of heritability coupled with genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for characters number of pods per plants and seed yield per plant.