AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF ERECT AND SEMI-ERECT COWPEA GENOTYPES IN THE NORTH OF MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic performance of elite-strains of cowpea cultivars under the conditions of the north of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. Fifteen elite-strains and five erect and semi-erect cultivars of cowpea were evaluated in the 2014 and 2015 summer-fall crop seasons in Janaúba MG. A randomized block experimental design was used with four replications. Plant size, lodging and value of cultivation, pod length and grain yield were evaluated. The data of the two crops were subjected to individual and joint analysis of variance. The genotype-crop interactions significantly affected all studied variables. The strains MNC04-792F-146 and MNC04-792F-144 stood out as the most productive genotypes in both crops. The cultivars BRS Itaim and BRS Novaera presented adequate size and lodging characteristics for cultivation, and values of cultivation that meet commercial standards, thus representing good alternatives for the genotypes cultivated in the north of Minas Gerais.