Diversity among selected pigeon pea accessions conserved at Genetic Resources Research Institute (GeRRI) in Kenya.

A study was carried out in 2022-2023 at KALRO-Perkerra, Marigat in Baringo County in Kenya to regenerate, bulk and characterize pigeon pea accessions conserved in the cold- room at the Genetic Resources Research Institute (GeRRI). Three hundred and fifty-two accessions were planted although two 246 germinated and grew to maturity. Quantitative data were collected on plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, days from planting to 50% flowering, days from planting to first mature pod, 100-seed weight and seeds per pod. Qualitative traits recorded were plant growth habit, terminal leaflet shape, leaf hairiness, flowering pattern, pod hairiness, seed shape and base seed colour. Most of the accessions (72.36%) had an indeterminate flowering habit. Plant height ranged from 105.8 to 441.8 cm with a mean of 297.98 cm. Highest variance was found in plant height followed by days to 50% flowering and days from planting to first mature pod. There was strong and positive correlation between plant height and days to 50% flowering (0.6145), plant height and days to first mature pod (0.6091) and between days to 50% flowering and days to first mature pod (0.9940). Only the first three principal components (PCs) were significant and they explained 69.165% of total variation. These three PCs were positively and strongly correlated with plant height, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, days to 50% flowering, days to first mature pod and seeds per pod. Clustering based on the principal components grouped the pigeon pea accessions into two major clusters. The smaller cluster consisting of 51 accessions was positively correlated to PC1. The pigeon pea accessions conserved at GeRRI have significant variability among them. This variability can be used in classification of genotypes and selection of candidate parents for breeding purposes.