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Main Article Content
Use of Bulking Rate as a Selection Index for Early Maturity in Sweet Potato Genotypes Grown in South-East Nigeria
Abstract
Seven sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam) genotypes were evaluated for early bulking rate in a field experiment conducted at the National Root Crop Research Institute, Umudike. The sweet potato genotypes (Centennial, Umuspo 3 (Mother's Delight), TIS 8164, Ex-Igbariam, TIS 87/0087, Umuspo 1 (King J) and Solomon 2 were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Data was collected to assess the bulking rate at 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 WAP weeks after planting (WAP), total number of tubers per plot, and fresh root tuber yield. The results showed significant (P<0.05) variations among the seven sweet potato genotypes at 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 WAP. The final harvest of the tuber was done at 16WAP. Umuspo 1 (King J) exhibited the highest bulking rate in both cropping seasons. The total number of tubers per plot was highest for Umuspo 1 (King J) at 72.8 kg/ha and 57.8 kg/ha, followed by TIS 87/0087 at 41.2 kg/ha and 41.5 kg/ha in 2014 and 2015, respectively. In terms of fresh root tuber yield, Umuspo 1 (King J) also showed the highest significance (P<0.05) with 31.2 t/ha in 2014 and 28.73 t/ha in 2015, closely followed by TIS 87/0087. Centennial had the lowest tuber yield at 2.10 t/ha in 2014 and 3.55 t/ha in 2015 cropping seasons, indicating a lower yield compared to Umuspo 1 (King J) by 93.26% and 92.33% in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Based on the results, Umuspo 1 (King J) and TIS 87/0087 demonstrated early bulking rates and could be used in developing early maturing varieties of sweet potato, enabling more than two plantings in a year.
