Effect of bean common mosaic virus infection on yield potential and nodulation of cowpea genotypes

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the effect of Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) disease incidence on yield potential and nodulation of cowpea genotypes. All the genotypes were artificially inoculated with virus inoculum collected from C-152 cowpea plants. The results showed BCMV could interfere with yield potential and rhizobium– cowpea symbiotic relationship. Based on extent of disease incidence, number of nodules plant-1 varied among the genotypes. The resistance control, V-5 produced more of number nodules plant-1 (22.8). The study indicated that genotype, IC 202782 was superior in terms of resistance, 100 seed weight (12.7 g), green fodder yield (17.8 t ha-1) and fodder quality under virus pressure. The genotype, IC 8996 was also found resistant to BCMV infection and good grain yielder (15.5 q ha-1) with maximum height (68.3 cm).The statistical analysis showed disease incidence and yield attributes were negatively associated whereas, number of nodules and fodder quality parameters had positive association. The genotypes obtained with superior characteristics in terms of resistance, grain and quality fodder yields, are expected to be useful to growers and to breeding programmes seeking to control yield losses caused by viruses, particularly BCMV.