Floral biology of Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc]

Abstract

Investigation on floral biology of twelve accessions of Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) 
Verdc] was carried out in the greenhouse of the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, 
Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria, in a completely randomized design with three 
replications. Significant varietal differences (P<0.05) were observed among the accessions in all 
characters investigated except for age of germination (P>0.05). Typical of flowering plants, the crop 
consists of vegetative and reproductive organs. The initiation of flower buds was between 30 and 48 
days after planting (DAP) while the maturity of the flowers was between 34 and 52 DAP (3 to 5 days from 
flower bud initiation). Matured flowers for hybridization should be 2 to 3 days old from bud initiation 
and observed to be yellow or creamy in colour. The time taken for matured flower bud to open 
(anthesis) ranged between 12 to 20 h (which occurred between 07:00 and 10:00 h). Emasculation should 
be carried out on mature flower buds within 12 h of flower bud maturity as pollination takes place after 
this period.