Genetic improvement of guaya (Lathyrus sativus L.) for low toxin content and other desirable agronomic characters
1997
Wuletaw Tadese | Wolelie Melese | Adugna Kasie (Adet Research Center, Adet (Ethiopia))
Lathyrus sativus (local name: mguaya) accounts for more than 8.7 percent of the area and 7.6 percent of the production of all pulses grown in Ethiopia. It is considered as a poor man's crop since it is used as a subsistence and insurance crop for the poor family because of its ability to tolerate drought, waterlogging conditions, the low cost involved in its production process and its ability to ameliorate soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. However, the presence of the neuro toxin Oxalyl Di Amino Propionic acid (ODAP) which causes a non-reversible neuro-degenerative disease (lathyrism) is a discouraging factor for its production. To alleviate this problem, guaya germplasms were screened for low ODAP content indicating that varieties were low in ODAP content and other agronomic characters. Promising varieties were identified for release as an interim measure till more low toxin lines are screened. Correlation analysis indicated that ODAP content was positively correlated with grain yield, days to maturity and plant height. The positive correlation between ODAP content indicates that varieties that are low in ODAP content are low in yield potential while varieties high in yield potential are high in ODAP content. Hence hybridization of varieties high in yield potential with varieties low in ODAP content is essential to get promising varieties.
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This bibliographic record has been provided by Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research