Performance Evaluation of Sweet Potato Varieties for Root Yield and Related Traits in South Gondar Zone, North West Ethiopia

Abstract

: A sweet potato production is not practiced in most parts of North Western Ethiopia mainly due to gap of knowledge and awareness about its production system and benefits; and shortage of improved varieties in the area. So that a study was conducted to overcome such challenges during 2019 main growing season at Dera and Libokemkem districts in North Western Ethiopia. The experiment included five white fleshed sweet potato improved varieties (Hawassa-09, Berkuma, Adu, Tola and Awassa-83). It was established in a randomized complete block design in three replications with the objective of testing the performance of the varieties for their adaptability and to recommend the superior ones for demonstrations on farmers’ plots. The results of analysis of root yield and most traits considered shown significant variation among varieties at both locations. The results further revealed that the interaction effects of genotypes by location were significant for most traits except root length, above ground fresh weight and number of roots per plant indicating the differential response of varieties for those traits at each location. Varieties Hawassa-09 and Burkuma gave superior storage root yield than the others at each location. Hence, these varieties need to be multiplication of seed/vines cutting materials and further demonstration for sustainable sweet potato production in the study areas