National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)
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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) is the most important grain legume crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In India cowpea is grown as sole, mix-crop, inter-crop systems. Cowpea is however, the only pulse suited to both arid and semi-arid regions and adapted better than any other pulses in high rainfall regions. As a good source of proteins, calcium and iron, it is recognized for many routine uses of food, feed, forage, fodder, vegetable and a number of dishes prepared from its grains. India being a secondary centre of diversity for cowpea, possess huge germplasm and wild relatives of cowpea thus, it supplements to the genetic resources of worldwide cowpea collection. Characterization of germplasm became mandatory for varietal registration and to apply for a plant breeder right. The characterization data on various morpho-physiological and agronomic traits is essential to maintain genetic data base at seed banks. In this context, a review has been conducted for the literature regarding DUS characterization, its importance and method of experimentation, various descriptors and documentation of data. The data available in the literature has been utilized in classification of cowpea plant characters into ten distinct categories, considering the seedling, stem, leaf, flower, pod, seed and plant morphological traits. Further, under each category, distinguishable, unique and stable traits were also been formulated as DUS parameters of cowpea. The present review may help the researchers in understanding the scope of DUS test and methodology of experimentation moreover, its present day importance with respect to germplasm conservation and patents.
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