Evaluation of Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) Genotypes for Growth and Yield related Characters under Rainfed Condition in Uyo Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

 Five orange fleshed sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) genotypes sourced 
from National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike were evaluated under rainfed condition 
in 2020 and 2021 cropping seasons at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Uyo, 
Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria to identify the high yielding and adaptable genotypes. The five 
genotypes; Umuspo-3, Umuspo-1, Naspot-12, Lourdes and Erica were used as treatments and the 
experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data on 
growth, yield and yield related characters were collected and analysis of variance, correlation 
and principal component analysis were performed.  The result of the study indicated that the 
genotype differ significantly (P≤ 0.05) for number of marketable roots, weight of marketable 
roots and fresh roots yield. Umuspo-3 produced the highest storage root yield (29.22 t/ha, 
28.78t/ha) in 2020 and 2021 cropping seasons, respectively. The result of the correlation analysis 
also revealed that vine length, number of marketable roots, weight of marketable were highly 
significantly and positively (P≤ 0.01) correlated with fresh root yield. Principal component 
analysis (PCA) had three main principal components explaining 82.41% of the total variation 
with number of marketable roots, weight of marketable tuber and storage root yield contributing 
the most to the first PCA. Umuspo-3 recorded high yield than the other four orange-fleshed 
sweetpotato. Therefore, Umuspo-3 was identified as a high yielding and adaptable orange
fleshed sweetpotato genotype and could be recommended mass cultivation in Uyo agro-ecology 
as a high yielding orange-fleshed sweetpotato.