Variability analysis of improved sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] varieties in the Philippines

Issue Date

12-2005

Abstract

The variability among 23 improved sweetpotato varieties from the Philippines was measured based on 31 morphological characters, 26 of which were qualitative, twenty-three of the 26 qualitative traits represented at least two phenotypic classes consisting of more than one variety each; highly significant differences in all five quantitative traits were observed among the Improved varieties. The variability of these 23 qualitative traits and the five quantitative traits was confirmed by their respective Shannon-Weaver diversity indices, which were moderate to high (average = 0.70). Mean Gower similarity coefficient among the 23 varieties was 0.37 when only qualitative traits were considered; it was slightly higher at 0.41 when quantitative traits were also Included. Based on qualitative traits, mean similarity coefficients were even lower for the three more popular improved varieties (0.28) and among three varieties (0.32) that will likely be grown If sweetpotato becomes an industrial crop in the Philippines. This finding Indicates that even If only these varieties were to be planted in most of the sweetpotato-growing areas of the country, sufficient variability for the traits studied will still exist in sweetpotato crops in the Philippines. A more complete assessment of genetic diversity in modern sweetpotato cultivars from the Philippines by using other methods to determine variability is recommended.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Agricultural Scientist

ISSN

317454

Volume

88

Issue

4

Page

408-417

Document Type

Article

Language

English

Subject

Philippine improved sweetpotato, Variability analysis

Digital Copy

none

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