Morpho-Phenological Characterization and Growth of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) from Tanimbar Islands under High Humidity Conditions
Abstract
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an important legume crop with high adaptability to tropical environments. This study aimed to evaluate the morpho-phenological traits, vegetative growth, and yield components of seven local cowpea accessions from the Tanimbar Islands under high humidity conditions. The experiment was conducted from June to September 2025 at the Experimental Field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Pattimura, Ambon, using seven local accessions (KTM 9, KTM 12, KTM 13, KTM 16, KTM 17, KTM 19, and KTM 20) and one comparison variety (Arghavan IPB). Quantitative data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey HSD at a 5% significance level. The results showed significant differences among genotypes in growth and yield variables. KTM 19 exhibited strong vegetative vigor, KTM 13 showed superior pod length and number of seeds per plant, while KTM 20 produced the highest number of seeds per pod. KTM 16 demonstrated the best production performance through the highest seed weight per plant and 100-seed weight, indicating good adaptation under humid tropical conditions. In contrast, KTM 12 showed the lowest performance due to disease pressure and poor reproductive development. Base on the results, the findings indicate substantial genetic variability among Tanimbar local germplasm and highlight KTM 16 as a promising genotype for cowpea breeding programs targeting humid tropical environments.
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