African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12514

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of the genetic diversity in putative cowpea mutants using hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis

John Azumah
  • John Azumah
  • School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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Kingsley Obeng
  • Kingsley Obeng
  • School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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Daniel K. Asare
  • Daniel K. Asare
  • School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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Andrew Sarkodie Appiah
  • Andrew Sarkodie Appiah
  • School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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Kwadwo Owusu Ayeh
  • Kwadwo Owusu Ayeh
  • Department of Plant and Environmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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Alfred A. Darkwa
  • Alfred A. Darkwa
  • Department of Crop Science, School of Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
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Elvis Asare-Bediako
  • Elvis Asare-Bediako
  • Office of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana.
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Andrew Nyamful
  • Andrew Nyamful
  • School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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Juliet Attah
  • Juliet Attah
  • National Nuclear Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Accra, Ghana.
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Anita Asamoah
  • Anita Asamoah
  • National Nuclear Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Accra, Ghana.
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Vincent Yao Agbodemegbe
  • Vincent Yao Agbodemegbe
  • School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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Godwin Amenorpe
  • Godwin Amenorpe
  • School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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Samuel Amiteye
  • Samuel Amiteye
  • School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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  •  Received: 14 April 2025
  •  Accepted: 20 May 2025
  •  Published: 30 June 2025

Abstract

To provide insights for optimizing breeding programmes, including parental selection and hybridization strategies, the genetic diversity of 11 putative cowpea mutants was evaluated across two ecological zones in Ghana using hierarchical clustering and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The objectives were to assess the extent of genetic diversity and identify distinct genetic groups, to identify how different ecological zones influence the genetic diversity of cowpea. Hierarchical clustering revealed four distinct genetic groups: Group 1 consisted of genotypes P1/17, Hewale, and the parental control, which share similar seed traits and disease severity; Group 2 comprised P1/01 and P4/02, which are comparable in seed and plant growth traits; Group 3 is unique to genotype P1/13, known for its largest seed size of approximately 3370 mg/10 seeds; and Group 4 comprises P5/08, P5/10, P6/19, P2/12, and P5/09, sharing various seed traits. PCA with a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy of 0.568 explained 81.34% of the variation among genotypes. In the first quadrant, P5/10 and P1/13 showed high correlations in seed weight. The second quadrant highlighted the influence of flowering and maturity traits on P1/01, P4/02, and P6/19. The third quadrant indicated that P5/08 and P1/17 were affected by seed damage and growth habits. The fourth quadrant revealed that P2/12, P5/09, Hewale, and Videza were mainly influenced by pod length and seedling emergence traits. Notable lines, such as P1/13 and P5/10, exhibit promising traits that can be leveraged for targeted breeding for the development of improved varieties.

Key words: High yielding, extra early maturity, putative mutant, multi-locational trial, genotype.

Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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