Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Georgia Ballroom (Sheraton Hotel Atlanta)
Cowpea is cultivated on more than 11 million hectares with a worldwide production 5.4 millions of dried seeds. Cowpea is an affordable source of protein. Its protein is used as an alternative to soybean for people who are allergic to soybean protein. The aim of this research was to assess the variability of the total seed protein content in cowpea. Eleven Arkansas lines were used in this study. Field experiment design was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replicates and conducted in three different locations within Arkansas State (Fayetteville, Alma, and Hope) in 2015. We performed a standard chemical protocol involving an analysis of the total nitrogen by combustion using an Elementar Rapid N III instrument to estimate the protein content. The average protein content was 25.4%, ranged from 23.7 to 27.4% with a standard deviation of 1.9%. The mean protein content of each line is ordered from high to low as: Early Scarlet (27.4%), 09-204 (26.9%), 01-1781 (25.9%), 09-393 (25.9%), 09-208 (25.5%), 07-303 (25.2%), AR Blackeye #1 (24.9), 09-714 (24.9%), Ebony (24.9%), 09-655 (24.0%), and 09-741 (23.7%). T-test analysis indicated Early Scarlet and 09-204 were significantly higher than others, indicating the two lines had higher seed protein content. In addition, significantly environmental factor - location and G x E factor were also observed to affect the seed protein content (P-value < 0.0001). This study would be valuable by providing information on cowpea protein content for breeders to select and utilize those lines with high seed protein content in breeding program to release new high protein cowpea cultivars.