Clonal evaluation of yam tubers raised from yam true seed

Abstract

Clonal evaluation of second generation yam (Dioscorea rotundata) plants raised from gamma ray treated and untreated yam true seeds, showed that, at the MV1 generation, increasing doses of gamma rays decreased plant heights, number of leaves, and tuber yield. At the MV2 generation however, these disappeared. Correlation analysis revealed significant relationship (p= 0.01) between first generation tuber sett weight and second generation tuber yield (r = 0.46), first generation tuber shape and second generation tuber shape (r = 0.27) and tuber yield and leaf spot disease infestation (r = 0.14), with n - 2 degrees of freedom of 718. Agronomic traits that could be selected, at the first generation stage, are tuber shape and disease resistance but not tuber yield.