Performance of 13 bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) landraces under 12 h and 14 h photoperiod.

2013

English

The aim of this study was to identify bambara groundnut landraces which are less sensitive to photoperiod response. Variation in yields of bambara groundnut have been attributed among others to variation in photoperiod at different sowing dates. Thirteen bambara groundnut landraces were evaluated at 12 h: 12 h and 14 h: 10 h, light: darkness at the Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Sunshine mix LA4 was put in 78-4 litre pots per growth chamber. Four gram of 20:20:20, N:P:K was added to each pot and thoroughly mixed with the soil. Each landrace was replicated in six pots. Growth chamber temperatures were maintained at 30 and 25°C, day:night at relative humidity of 60%. Growth chamber Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) ranged between 250-300 (millimol) umol m2 sec-1. Days to seedling emergence were significantly lesser under 12 h than 14 h photoperiod (p=0.02). Days to flowering were significantly higher under 14 h than 12 h photoperiod (p<0.05). Five landraces; Burkina, Mottled Cream, Zebra Coloured, Tan One and Tan Two (both from Tanzania) podded under both 12 h and 14 h photoperiod. All but two of the landraces podded under 12 h photoperiod. Leaf area, shoot dry weight and root dry weight per plant were all higher under 14 h than 12 h photoperiod. Genotypes that produced pods under 14 h photoperiod were observed to be early maturing relative to the others. Landraces were identified for cultivation in the lower and higher latitudes. Abstract of this article is presented in "IHC: Lisboa 2010, T09 Genetics and Breeding; T09.218".

Berchie, J. N.; Amelie, G.; McClymont, S.; Raizada, M.; Adu-Dapaah, H.; Sarkodie-Addo, J.