Title : Evaluation of yield and disease resistance potential of potato varieties at Dambi Dollo University Research site
Abstract:
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the most important crop, and its production is increasing quickly in developing countries like Ethiopia. The present study was conducted with the objective to evaluate yield and disease resistance potential of potato varieties at Dambi Dollo University research site. The experiment was conducted using released potato varieties i.e., Belete, Gudane, Jalane and Menagesha were collected from cooperatives organized in Jeldu and local potato was purchased from market of Dambi Dollo town. The result showed that, total number of tuber per hill, total number of main stem per hill, total tuber yield per plot and unmarketable tuber yield were showed highly significant variations (p<0.01) while other traits like days to flowering, days to maturity and marketable tuber yields were not showed significant variations. Gudane variety was higher in total number of tubers per hill (12.47) and total number of main stem per hill (5.53). Belete (7.8) showed the greatest number of marketable tuber per hill followed by Jalane (6.4) and Gudane (6.07). The least yield per plot and per hectare was recorded from local variety followed by Menagesha. Days to disease appearance in local variety was 11.67 and Jalane variety was 12.33. Belete and Gudane did not show symptoms of disease while Menagesha variety showed sign of disease on the date of 48th averagely after plantation. The highest number of diseased plants was recorded from Menagesha (5.67) followed by both local and Jalane variety (0.33). The highest percent of disease incidence was recorded from Menagesha variety (18.16) and followed by Jalane (1.85) and Local (1.75) respectively. Belete and Gudane had no number of diseased plants and percent of disease incidence. Therefore, Belete and Gudane potato varieties showed high yield and lacking disease signal recommended at this research site and similar climatic zones.
KEY WORDS: traits; agronomy; variety; potato; disease
