Département de Biologie et Physiologie végétales, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en sciences de la Vie et de la Terre, Université de Ouagadougou, 03 BP 7021, Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is one of the most important arid legumes cultivated for pulse and forage production in the savannas of west Africa. Its cultivation is confronted to biotic and abiotic constraints. The abiotic constraints are primarily of (recorded rainfall, temperature, poor soil). This research was conducted to identify cowpea breeding lines that tolerant to drought. Seven genotypes obtained from cowpea breeding program of marker-assisted recurrent selection (C2-111-4, C2-111-2, C2-9-3, C2-11-3, C2-31-2, C254-4 and C2-64-2), two parents of crossing (Gorom local and IT97K-499-35) and IT99K-573-2-1 (yiis yande, grown under drought stressed and non-stressed conditions. Drought stress reduced seed yield, 100 seed weight and chlorophyll stability index. Correlation between stressed and non-stressed seed yield were (r=+0.646). Biplot displays of quantitative indices of stress tolerance and genotypes seed yield indicating that genetic variability for drought tolerance existed amongst the tested germplasm with regard to seed yield and drought tolerance. According to their yielding ability and quantitative indices of stress tolerance, the genotypes (C2-31-2, C2-9-1, IT97-499-35, C2-111-4, C2-111-2, C2-9-3, C2-11-3, et C2-64-2) were grouped in low yielding under drought condition; Gorom local et C2-54-4 in order were identified as high yielding and moderate yielding under drought. IT99K-573-2-1 was found to be susceptible drought.