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The evaluation of the diversity in the cowpea local varieties (CLVs) allows the efficient use of genetic resources for cultivar development. This study aimed to evaluate the diversity of CLVs based on observation of morphological characteristics and to identify the relationship among morphological traits and potential varieties as donor genes to improve yield potential. The CLVs were collected from five provinces in Indonesia during 2017–2018. The evaluation of the performance of CLVs’ morphological characteristics was carried out in the Indonesian Legumes and Tuber Crops Research from March to July 2019. The observed data were 43 agronomic characters which consist of qualitative and quantitative characters. There is a high variation in stem pigmentation and seed color in 214 CLVs. There were nine qualitative characters with no variation. Most quantitative characters showed significant variation among CLVs. The clustering of 214 CLVs results in five clusters in which some CLVs maintain valuable characteristics that could be used in the breeding program. The number of pods per plant, number of racemes per plant, and 100 seed weight were useful for indirect selection in the yield improvement. Based on the genotype by trait biplot, the CLV 112, 191, and 111 could be used as donor parents for seed size improvement and the CLV 169 could be used as a donor parent for the yield potential improvement in the cowpea breeding program. Four cowpea genotypes can be recommended for commercial release or used as potential breeding material in cowpea cultivar development programs. The new findings of this study could provide a basis for the genetic improvement of cowpea.

Pod shattering is one of the major soybean constraints in the soybean production centers, particularly in the tropics. The screening for pod shattering resistance of 16 genotypes was carried out using detached and undetached pod methods on the three different pod positions on the stem. The field research was arranged in a randomized block design, during the dry season in Banyuwangi, Indonesia. The shattering evaluation was conducted in the laboratory using the ovendry method. The screening methods to investigate the pod shattering resistance of each genotype consisted of the detached pod (DP), undetached pod (UDP), and undetached whole-stem method (UWS). The result showed that the detached pod method (DP) resulted in a higher average podshattering percentage (15%) than the undetached pod methods (UDP and UWS, 13% and 11%, respectively). Nevertheless, the detached pod and undetached pod methods provide a consistent result for the evaluation of pod shattering resistance, showed by their correlation coefficients (DP and UDP, r = 0.98**; DP and UWS, r = 0.98**, UDP and UWS, r = 0.99**). The detached pod with the oven-dry method was suggested to be used for screening of pod shattering resistance. This method enables to screen genotypes in greater numbers, provides a homogeneous selection pressure and environmental condition. Pods at the upper part of the stem were more resistant to shattering than those pods in the middle part and lower part. The pod length, seed length, seed weight, pod wall weight to the pod weight ratio, and weight of 25 seeds appeared to be the significant indicators for pod shattering resistance. The shattering evaluation resulted in five soybean genotypes (Anj/G100H-28, Anj/G100H-44, Anj/Rjbs-304, Anj/Rjbs-30, and Detap 1) with consistent resistance to pod shattering based on the three methods. These genotypes can be used as donor parents in the breeding program for pod shattering resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]