Evaluation Of Inter And Intra Family Variations In Segregating Populations Of Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) In Umudike

ABSTRACT

A research was conducted in Umudike to know the inter and intra family variations that exist between sweetpotato progenies raised from half and full-sib families developed in  sweetpotato Research Centre Mozambique (CIP Mozambique). Six hundred and twenty nine (629) progenies raised from both half and full-sib families were used for the experimental layout. The result obtained showed that there were significant differences in the proximate composition analysis carried out on twenty five(25)  selected promising progenies in 2015. A highly significant relationship (P<0.05) was observed among the root descriptor traits measured in 2014 between the half and full-sib families. From the result obtained on the half-sib progenies in 2014, the number of marketable roots had a strong positive correlation with the number of unmarketable roots (r=0.402**), marketable roots weight (r=0.316*), total number of roots (r=0.757**) and total root weight (r=0.750**). Also from the result obtained from the full-sib families in 2014, the number of marketable root had a strong positive association with the marketable roots weight (r=0.756) total number of roots (r=0.625**) and total roots weight (r=0.426**). Half-sib progenies like A017 (6.91t/ha), BO17 (7.18t/ha) C029 (4.03t/ha), DO57 (4.88t/ha) all had better performance in yield in tons per hectare. They also had better marketable weight (kg/ha) and marketable root number than other half-sib progenies considered. Also from the result, the progenies of the full-sib families like F010, G007, I017, ZD003, M004, M002, Z15003 where all better than other full-sib families in terms of yield in tons per hectare (t/ha), marketable weight (kg/ha)  and marketable root number. High heritability and genetic advance was observed in dry matter, (86%, 150.94) crude protein (96%; 6.96) moisture content (96%; 104.85) and starch content (88%; 122.16) for proximate analysis of the selected sweetpotato progenies in 2015. Also highly significant variance ratios (P<0.05) were observed in Dry matter moisture content and starch content  in the proximate analysis of the selected promising genotypes in 2015. From the study it was observed that both the progenies of half and full-sib families have the potential of becoming varieties. This assertion was due to their root descriptor performances.