Performance Evaluation of Potato Genotypes for Yield, Yield Related Traits in Bale High Lands South Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

: Potato is an important food security crop in the world spacially for Africa, specifically Ethiopia which ranked 9 th in potato production in Africa. Bale Zone South Eastern Ethiopia is known for potato production both in irrigation and rainfed. Howevere, the productivity of the crop is low due to many factors among which lack of improved potato varieties which were high yeilder and tolerance to potato disease is major. This study was conducted to evaluate potato genotypes for high-yielding, stability and resistance to late blight. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications at three locations (Sinana, Goba and Dinsho districts) for three years. The highest total tuber yield was recorded from genotypes CIP-392640-524 (45.75t/ha -1 ) followed by CIP-395114.5 (40.01t/ha -1 ) while the lowest total tuber yield was obtained from local checks (25.27t/ha -1 ). Result from stability papameters indicated the stability of tested genotypes over the tested environment. The yield performance of genotypes (CIP-392640-524) across environments and yield advantage of genotype over standard checks (Moti) 11.45% with less disease (late blight reaction) and the result from AMMI analysis of variance and stability parameter also indicated the stability of genotype over tested environments. This suggested that the genotypes are promoted to a variety of verification trials for Bale highlands and similar agro-ecologies.