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Abstract:
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The objectives of this study were: 1. to determine morphological responses of four dual-purpose cowpea landraces to water deficits during vegetative and reproductive stages; 2. to determine physiological response of four dual-purpose cowpea landraces to water deficits and recovery during the reproductive stage; 3. to determine yield performance of cowpea landraces after recovery from water stress and how it relates to the above objective. Four cowpea landraces namely: Lebudu, Lehlodi, Sejwaleng and Marathathane were collected from Kgohloane and Ga_Mphela villages in Limpopo, South Africa. Pot experiments were conducted under glasshouse conditions at the Controlled Environment Facility (CEF), University of Kwazulu Natal. The fist pot experiment evaluated the morphological responses of four cowpea landraces to water stress and recovery. The study was conducted as a single factor experiment laid out in randomized complete block (RCBD). The treatments (four cowpea landraces) were each planted in 40 pots giving a total of 160 experimental units (drained polyethylene pots with a 5 litre capacity). Each plant in each pot was treated as a replicate. Plants were all well-watered until the formation of six fully expanded trifolates, then irrigation was withheld for 28 days to stimulate drought stress during the vegetative growth. The imposition of drought stress was terminated by re-watering all plants after 28 days. The cowpea plants were re-watered sufficiently and allowed to grow until the four landraces reached 50% flowering stage. Watering was withheld again at 50% flowering for a two-week period for all the for landraces to stimulate drought stress during the reproductive growth. |