Association of traits in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars evaluated in Central Ethiopia

Abstract

Knowledge of the magnitude of traits association helps to determine the relative contribution of traits toward yield and other important characteristics in crop breeding programs. The present study was conducted on twenty improved varieties and one local farmers` potato cultivar at two different sites in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia under rain-fed conditions in the main cropping season of 2017 to estimate association among traits using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance for each location and over locations revealed the presence of highly significant (p < 0.01) differences among varieties for studied traits. Plant height, stem number per hill, average tuber number per hill, average tuber weight, and total starch yield showed positive and significant correlations with total tuber yield at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Average tuber number per hill, average tuber weight and total starch yield had positive and direct effects on total tuber yield at the genotypic level whereas, plant height, stem number per hill, average tuber number per hill, average tuber weight, total starch yield exerted indirect effects on total tuber yield through other traits. Hence, traits that exerted positive and direct effects on total tuber yield at the genotypic level could be considered as selection criteria in future potato breeding programs considering further comprehensive study by including more potato varieties and local cultivars across wider production environments.