dc.description.abstract |
Potato variety screening for late blight disease resistance and tuber yield has been conducted in
different regions of Ethiopia and distributed to model farmers. However, there was lack of
awareness of improved technologies, yield capacity of potato and fear of devastating of potato
by late blight. The field experiments were conducted to evaluate the resistance levels of potato
varieties against late blight, to evaluate the yield performance of potato varieties and to adapt
the late blight resistant and high yielding potato varieties. A total of 12 varieties were arranged
in RCBD in three replications on a plot of 3 m X 3m (9 m
2
) at three research locations. Disease
severity and tuber yield data were recorded and analyzed using ANOVA for the design and
relation of disease and tuber yield parameters were determined using correlation and regression
statistics. Disease severities, disease progress curves, disease progress rate, marketable tuber
yield and other yield components were significantly affected by potato varieties, locations and
cropping seasons. On average of both cropping seasons, the varieties Menagesha, Ararsa,
Chala, and Wechecha were susceptible while Gera, Gudenie, Belete, Chekole and Netib5 were
resistant varieties to late blight of potato at Debre Berhan research site. Menagesha, Chala,
Wechecha, Jalenie and Hundie were susceptible while Gera, Belete and Netib5 were resistant at
Tengego. Menagesha, Chala, Ararsa and Jalenie were highly susceptible while Belete, Gera,
Netib5 and Chekole were resistant at Megezez. Higher AUDPC values were exhibited during
2018 than 2019 cropping season at Debre Berhan while relatively higher AUDPC values were
exhibited during 2019 cropping season than 2018 cropping season at Tengego and Megezez.
When comparing cropping seasons as the functions of general varieties and locations, higher
tuber yield tha-1
and number of tubers per plant were obtained during 2019 cropping season
than 2018 cropping season. When comparing effect of locations as the functions of general
varieties and cropping seasons, averagely the highest tuber yield (41 tha-1
) and the highest
number of seeds per plant (21.1) were recorded from Megezez whereas the lowest yield (36.9
tha-1
) and the lowest number of seeds per plant (20.6) were obtained from Tengego research site.
When comparing potato varieties as the functions of general locations and cropping seasons, the
highest tuber yield (50.2 tha-1
) was recorded from Gera followed by (48.1, 46.0, 45.1 tha-1
)
recorded form Gudenie, Belete and Netib5 respectively. The least tuber yield (27.6 tha-1
) was
recorded from Wechecha followed by 30.8 and 31.7 tha-1
from Chala and Guasa respectively
although there were some irregularities. Therefore, the farmers at different locations are advised
to use the most resistant and high yielding varieties recommended for each locations. In
addition, since the resistant level varieties might be broken down by aggressive nature of the
pathogen, farmers in the study area needs to use low concentrations of fungicides and change
time of planting, not favorable for pathogen. |
en_US |