Promising abaca accessions at NARC VSU [National Abaca Research Center, Visayas State Univ.] germplasm

The National Abaca Research Center (NARC) is maintaining the largest abaca germplasm collection in the country consisting of hybrids, cultivated landraces, wild types and musa relatives collected from all over the country. Evaluation of these collections is necessary to determine the performances of these promising materials and identify promising accessions for release as new varieties and for use as parents in breeding work. Based on composite scoring of different growth and yield parameters, 5 promising accessions were identified in VSU namely: NARC-M115 (Maguindanao Black), NARC-M221 (Lawisig Pula No.1), NARC-M228 (Unknown A), NARC-M259 (Alman No.5) and NARC-M209 (Putian No.6) which outperformed the two check varieties. In Milagro site, the 5 promising accessions NARC-M115 (Maguindanao Black), NARC-M196 (Balingon), NARC-M259 (Alman No.5), NARC-M283 (Balunan No.2) and NARC-M321 (Inosa Pula No.6) also out performed the two check varieties (Inosa No.2 and Laylay). Two entries, NARC-M115 (Maguindanao Black) and NARC-M259 (Alman No.5) consistently outperformed the two check varieties in both sites (VSU and Milagro), which shows that these 2 entries are stable across different locations. NARC-M115 was the consistent highest yielding entry with 514.80 gms fiber yield per plant followed by NARC-M259 with 493.90 gms/plant, then NARC-M196, NARC-M321 and NARC-M283 with 425.30, 415.90 and 405 gms/plant, respectively. The two check varieties only produced an average yield (gms/plant) of 277.4 (Inosa) and 223.30 (Laylay). Tensile strength (kg/gm/m) ranged 31.50 (Inosa-check No.1) to 39.33 (NARC-M283) while fiber recovery (%) ranged from 1.47 (Inosa) to 1.72 (NARC-M115). Maturity of the entries ranged from 35 to 36 months after planting. It was observed that maturity of the different abaca accessions were relatively longer when grown at higher elevation (Milagro site) with an elevation of 600 meters above sea level as compared to when they are grown out at lower elevation (VSU site) of only 200 meters above sea level.