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Nov 11, 2015Keywords:
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Main Article Content
Evaluation of exotic genotypes of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) in Nigeria
Abstract
Production of Taro {Colocasia esculenta (L) Schott} in Nigeria had stagnated and even began to decline in the last few years due to several constraints including poor yield of local cultivars worsened by advent of taro leaf blight (TLB). Introduction and evaluation of exotic cultivars for adaptation to local production is a promising option to increase local variability, diversity and yield of taro. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate newly introduced (exotic) cultivars of Taro in order to identify and select those with high yield, TLB resistance and quality suitable for local production. Fifteen exotic cultivars of taro, obtained from International Network on Edible Aroids (INEA) as part of an EU-funded project on \Adapting Clonally Propagated Crops to Climatic and Commercial Change,. and some local cultivar were evaluated in 2013 and 2014 at Umudike, located between latitudes 5‹24. to 5‹30. N and longitudes 7‹31. to 7‹37. E in the rainforest agro-ecological zone of Nigeria. The cultivars were laid out in a randomized complete block design in two replications. Results obtained indicate that most of the exotic cultivars were early maturing, four were intermediate while two (BL/SM/152, and BL/PNG/13) were late maturing. Most cultivars were susceptible to TLB; BL/PNG/13 was highly resistant while BL/SM/152 was immune. The late maturing cultivars were highly resistant/immune to TLB while most of the early maturing ones were susceptible thus suggesting a link between the genes for maturity and those for resistance to TLB. Cultivar differences in number of corms, cormels and total yield (corms + cormels) per plant were significant in both years. Total yield and Corm/Cormels ratio of many exotic cultivars compared favourably with the locals. Nine cultivars were selected as promising based mainly on yield, physical appearance, resistance to TLB and lack of stolon.
Keywords: Cocoyam, cultivars, corm/cormel ratio, taro leaf blight, maturity, total yield, corms
and cormels
