Table 9 The qualitative traits measured according to IPGRI, IITA, and BAMNET⁷¹, and Khan et al.²⁸.

1

Growth habit

GrH

Data was taken after 8 weeks of sowing based on the petiole and internode length of the middle stem of 5 middle plants per plot

(1) Accession of bunch type (P/I ≥ 9)

(2) Accession of semi-bunch type (P/I = 7–9)

(3) Accession of Spreading type (P/I ≤ 7)

2

Stem hairiness

StH

Data were recorded at the harvest

(1) Absent. (2) Sparse. (3) Dense

3

First stem color

FSC

Recorded after 2 weeks of planting

(1) Green (2) Reddish (3) Stripped (4) Reddish green (5) Brownish

4

Terminal leaflet shape

TLS

Data were recorded 8 weeks after sowing

(1) Round (2) Oval (3) Elliptical (4) Lanceolate

5

Terminal leaflet color

TLC

Data were recorded 8 weeks after sowing

(1) Green (2). Red (3) Purple

6

Petiole pigmentation

PetP

Data were recorded after 2 weeks of sowing

(1) Green (2) Reddish-brown (3) Brown (4) Reddish-green

7

Shape of pod

PoS

Data were taken based on 1 seeded pod at harvest

(1) Hook with ending point on the opposite side (2) Round with ending point on the opposite side (3) Hook with ending point on both sides

8

Color of pod

PoC

Data was taken using a color wheel and done at harvest

(1) Yellowish-brown (2) Reddish-brown (3) Brown (4) Cream with brown patches

9

Pod texture

PoT

Data were taken within 3–5 days of harvesting

(1) Much grooved (2) Much folded (3) Little grooved (4) Smooth

10

Seed shape

SeS

Data were taken from the seed of 1 seeded pod at harvest

(1) Oval. (2) Round (3) Other

11

Seed color

SeC

Data were taken using a color wheel and done at harvest

(1) Cream. (2) Light red (3) Light brownish red (4) Dark purple (5) Light brown (6) Purplish red

12

Eye color

EyC

Data were taken based on Bambara groundnut descriptor at harvest

(1) Absent (2) Brown (3) Light red (4) Black (5) Grey

13

Testa pattern

TeP

Data were taken based on Bambara groundnut Descriptors at harvest

(1). No testa pattern. (2) Black strips on both micropylar ends (3) Cream marbled (4) Light red strips on one micropylar end (5) Brownish red strips on both micropylar

14

Testa color with eye pattern around hilum

(TC + EyP)

Described in a combination of the testa background with eye color

(1) Light red/brown testa with light red /brown butterfly-like eye (2) No eye pattern (3) Cream testa with black/Brown butterfly like eye (4) Cream testa with grey/Light red triangular eye (5) Cream testa with light red patches (6) Purplish red testa with cream butterfly like eye