Cassava [Manihot esculenta (Crantz)] Germplasm for Effective Conservation

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to characterize the cassava germplasm of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute (CSIR-PGRRI), Ghana to help in effective conservation. A total of 210 cassava accessions being conserved at the field genebank of the CSIR – PGRRI were used for the experiment in October, 2014 and data collected in October, 2015 on five morphological traits comprising of plant height, growth type, height of first branch, levels of branching and branch angle. The five traits revealed variability among the cassava accessions. Based on the variability, the 210 accessions were classified into four categories namely short-spreading, tall-spreading, short-non-spreading and tall-nonspreading. Four different planting distances were suggested for the different groups for effective conservation. The recommended planting distances were 75 x 75 cm, 75 x 100 cm, 100 x 100 cm and 100 x 150 cm groups based on height and spreading nature of the cassava accessions. Cassava accessions from different planting distances groups should not be planted adjacent each other to avoid suppressing of weaker ones.