The Effect of Seed Size on Phytochemical Composition in Cowpea Lines (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i> (L.) Walp.) from Burkina Faso

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the effect of seeds size (length, width, thickness and 100 seeds-weight) on their phytochemical composition (total phenolics, total flavonoids, total proteins, soluble sugars and starch) of cowpea accessions ( Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) grown in Burkina Faso. The genotypes and their descendants had length, width, thickness and 100 seeds weight between 80 ± 0.7 to 7.40 ± 0.46 cm; 6.51 ± 0.41 to 5.76 ± 0.46 cm; 5.15 ± 0.37 to 4.22 ± 0.22 cm; 12.93 ± 0.09 to 20.16 ± 0.39 g respectively. Total phenol, total flavonoid and starch contents ranged from 585.37 ± 9.73 to 1704.71 ± 4.87 mg GAE per 100 g DW; 41.42 ± 2.03 to 52.26 ± 0.75 mg QE per 100 g DW; 6.45% ± 0.3% to 46.58% ± 0.12% respectively. The soluble sugars and total proteins contents were ranged respectively from 149.33 ± 3.80 to 432.82 ± 40.81 μg/100mg, and 20.28 ± 0.17 to 27.32 ± 0.17 (%). Seeds size characters had significant and positive correlations with starch content, and significant and negative correlations with total phenolic content. The study of the genetic parameters of phytochemical traits also revealed that they are slightly influenced by the environment. Genetic factors are believed to account for the variation in the observed seed traits, which provides a high potential of studied accessions for breeding programs.