Character Association and Path Analyses in Sweet Potato
2016
Mohanty, Prarthana | Ashok, P. | Cacikalā, Kō. | Swami, D. V.
Sweet potato [ Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] is a highly heterozygous cross-pollinated crop in which many of the traits show continuous variation. Selection for root yield, which is a polygenic trait, often leads to changes in other characters. Studies on the entire spectrum of the variability are necessary to acquire knowledge on inheritance patterns of plant characters to develop suitable varieties for yield. A study was conducted using 30 sweet potato genotypes to investigate associations among traits and their direct and indirect influences on yield to understand how intercharacter relationships influence tuber yield. The genotypes were characterized based on response to 10 morphological and 18 quantitative characters. Correlation and path coefficient analyses were carried out for 18 characters of yield and its components. Character association indicated that tuber yield was positively and significantly associated with number of tubers per plant, tuber yield per plant, β-carotene content, vine length, vine internodal length, leaf area, and tuber diameter. Path analysis indicated that number of branches per plant, root length, root yield per plant, and starch content had direct effects on tuber yield·per hectare. Number of branches per plant, root length, root yield per plant, starch content, reducing sugars, and nonreducing sugars had positive, direct effects on root yield. Root dry matter content had a negative, direct effect and β-carotene had a positive, direct effect on root yield. The remaining characters had negligible to low or moderate indirect effects through other component characters. The high direct effect of these traits appeared to be the main factors for their strong association with root yield.
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