Multi-trait stability selection drives genetic gains in cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] under high-temperature stress.
Ps B, Biradar M, Meena VS, Tripathi K, Babar R
Summary
8.2/10Researchers identified genetic variation in cowpea plants' ability to withstand high temperatures by testing 250 diverse varieties. Using advanced statistical methods, they found candidate plants that could be developed into new heat-tolerant crop varieties—an important finding as climate change makes extreme temperatures more common in agricultural regions.
Key Findings
Only 147 of 250 cowpea accessions (59%) successfully flowered and produced seeds when exposed to temperatures exceeding 35°C during the critical flowering stage, indicating severe reproductive stress and substantial genetic variation in heat tolerance
Seed yield, pods per plant, and seeds per pod showed high heritability (≥60%), indicating strong genetic control and significant potential for selecting superior heat-tolerant genotypes through breeding
Multiple multi-trait stability indices (MGIDI, MTSI, MTMPS, MPS, FAI-BLUP) successfully identified superior genotypes suitable for immediate cultivar release and use as genetic resources in breeding programs
Original Abstract
Cowpea ( A total of 250 diverse cowpea accessions, along with five checks, were evaluated at Baramati and Jodhpur during the 2022–2023 growing season under both normal and late sowing conditions to simulate high-temperature stress. Growth, yield, and physiological traits, including canopy temperature, were measured. Multi-trait stability indices, including the multi-trait genotype-ideotype distance index (MGIDI), the multi-trait stability index (MTSI), the multi-trait mean performance and stability index (MTMPS), Mean Performance and Stability (MPS) analysis and the factor analysis-based BLUP index (FAI-BLUP), were utilised to identify superior genotypes. Further, genetic parameters were also estimated using mixed linear models. Late sowing exposed genotypes to temperatures exceeding 35 °C during flowering, inducing severe reproductive stress; only 147 of 250 accessions successfully flowered and set seeds. Traits such as seed yield, pods per plant, and seeds per pod showed high heritability (≥ 60%) and considerable genetic variation, while canopy temperature exhibited lower variability. Grain yield was positively correlated with pods per plant ( This study reveals substantial genetic variation for high-temperature tolerance in cowpea, highlighting the value of integrating multi-environment phenotyping with multi-trait stability indices for robust selection. The identified genotypes provide immediate candidates for cultivar release and represent valuable genetic resources for breeding programs aiming to develop heat-resilient cowpea varieties. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12870-026-08597-5.
Species Mentioned
The cowpea is an annual herbaceous legume from the genus Vigna. It can be erect, semierect (trailing), or climbing. A high level of morphological diversity is found within the species with large variations in the size, shape, and structure of the plant. Four subspecies are recognised, three of wh...
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