Genotype × environment influence on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) walp) antinutritional factors: 1 – trypsin inhibitors,tannins, phytic acid and haemagglutinin

The relative influence of genotype, environment and genotype×environment effects on four antinutritional factors (g kg⁻¹) of importance in cowpea were studied using 15 local and improved cowpea genotypes grown in 12 environments, comprising three locations over four seasons per location. The locations Ago‐Iwoye (6°58′N4°00′E), Mokwa (9°17′N5°04E) and Kano (12°00′N8°31′E) were representatives of the major agroecological zones where cowpeas are produced. Genotypes effects were strongest in controlling trypsin inhibitor content, while the environment was the major source of variation for tannins, haemagglutinin and phytic acid contents. Thus, the variability in the levels of these antinutritional factors in cowpea seeds depends largely on the environment where they are grown. This implies that a cowpea genotype grown and consumed safely in an environment can be poisonous when grown and consumed in another environment. Genotype×environment effects were significant for tannins, haemagglutinins and trypsin inhibitor contents. Correlation coefficients (pooled data) from the three locations indicated that trypsin inhibitor was positively correlated to phytic acid (r=0.59, 0.001<P<0.05) and haemagglutinins (r=0.64, 0.001<P<0.05) but negatively correlated to tannin contents ( r=−0.79, 0.001<P<0.05). © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry