Effects of gamma ray irradiation on the metric traits of vegetable cowpea (vigna unguiculata (l.) walp) in umudike Southern Nigeria

The effects of different levels of gamma ray irradiation on the vegetable cowpea varieties (IT8ID – 1228 –14, IT835- 899, IT93k – 915) were evaluated in 2002 and 2003 cropping seasons at Umudike Southeastern Nigeria. Six levels of irradiation ranging from 0 (control) to 25kr were applied to the cowpea seeds. Irradiation induced marked variability among the varieties. More number of pods per plant, fresh pod yield, plant height, fewer days to flowering and days to maturity were obtained by IT8ID – 1228-14. At 5 – 10kr, the varieties plant height; fresh pod length and width, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and fresh pod yield increased to a maximum, while the same traits dropped with increasing irradiation.