Biomass accumulation and yield expression among winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus L. DC) accessions

Abstract

Winged bean accessions were screened to evaluate biomass yield potential. The experiments, carried out during 2015 and 2016 to test nineteen accessions were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design and replicated three times. Data collected on number of days to 50% flowering (DTF), number of days to 50% pod (DTP), total number of pods (TNP) per plant fresh (FSW) and dry shoot weight (DSW), dry pod weight (DPW), total fresh (TFW) and dry (TDW) weight and seed weight per plot (SWP) were analysed for analysis of variance. Results showed that year of planting significantly (P≤0.01) influenced DTF, DTP and SWP. Accessions exhibited significant variations (P≤0.05) for DFF, DTF, DTP and CP, while no significant interaction was observed between the year and accessions (P˃0.05) for all studied traits. FSW had a positive and significant correlation (P≤0.01) with TFW (r= 0.97), DPW (r= 0.87) and TDW (r= 0.78). TFW also had positive and significant correlation (P≤0.01) with DPW (r= 0.68), DSW (r= 0.83) and TDW (r= 0.89). The study revealed that accessions with high biomass accumulation (TPT 12, 11, 53, 5 and 21) are better fit to channel assimilates for yield production through early flowering and pod formation.