Abstract
Potato is a high potential food security crop in the world including Ethiopia. Genetic variability is the basis of all crop improvement programs. The study was conducted at Adet in 2018 with the objective of assessing the extent and pattern of genetic variability of potato genotypes for yield and yield related traits. A total of 36 potato genotypes were evaluated for 18 quantitative traits in simple lattice design with two replication. The analysis of variance revealed that highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) difference among the tested potato genotypes for all quantitative traits except average stem number per hill. The phenotypic coefficient of variation was ranged from 4.56 to 56.01% (specific gravity and unmarketable tuber yield t ha<sup>-1</sup> respectively) and the genotypic coefficient of variation was ranged between 2.32 to 40.66% (specific gravity and late blight severity percentage respectively). The broad sense heritability was ranged from 25.93 to 97.05% (specific gravity and late blight severity percentage respectively) and the genetic advance as percent of mean was ranged from 2.44 to 82.64% (specific gravity and late blight severity percentage respectively). Days to attain 50% emergence, leaf area index, number of marketable tubers and total tubers per plant, marketable and total tuber yield t ha<sup>-1</sup> and late blight severity percentage had high heritability with high genetic advance as percent of mean. Most of the traits had high phenotypic coefficient of variation and genotypic coefficient of variation; and coupled high heritability with high genetic advance as percent of mean. Traits having high heritability and high genetic advance as percent of means was effective for simple selection.
Highlights
The crop Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important food crops worldwide including Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, during 2019/20 growing season more than 1 million small holders are engaged in potato production
This provides an opportunity for a breeder to select best genotypes for their better tuber yield and other yield related traits
Summary
The crop Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important food crops worldwide including Ethiopia. It ranks third after rice and wheat in terms of human consumption [1]. According to FAO [2] report the total world potato production was 370,436,581 metric tons. The total area allocated for potato has reached 70,362.22 ha, total production of 924,728.361 tons produced [3]. Ethiopia ranked in 11th in Africa and it covers 0.25% of the total world potato production [2]. Potato is a high potential food security crop in Ethiopia due to its high yield potential, nutritional quality, short growing period and wider adaptability [4]. The lower yield is attributed to many biotic and abiotic factors, such as poor agronomic practices, lack of high-quality and improved planting material, high cost of improved seed tubers, disease and pest problems [5, 6]
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