Tuber Size Distribution of Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) as Influenced by Local and Improved Cultivars Grown in Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Potato is an important cash and food security crop in Eastern Ethiopia. Field experiments were conducted at Haramaya and Hirna with the objective of assessing tuber size distribution of local (farmers’) and improved potato cultivars during the main cropping season of 2011. The treatments consisted of five released cultivars (Badhasa, Chala, Chiro, Gabbisa, Zemen) and four local (farmers’) potato cultivars (Batte, Daddafa, Jarso, Mashenadima). The experiment was laid out as a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The highest proportions of small tuber numbers and weight (72.99%), (53.03%), respectively were produced by cultivar Jarso at Haramaya. Chiro had the lowest number of small tubers (27.30%) and weight (14.52%). The maximum weight of large tubers (54.98%) was obtained from Mashenadima, with Jarso giving the minimum (25.63%). Highest medium sized tuber weight (29.63%) was obtained from Jarso and Daddafa gave the lowest 20.95%. The highest proportion of large-sized tubers was obtained from Chiro (48.85%) at Hirna and Minimum by Jarso (4.95%) at Haramaya. Regarding medium tuber numbers, the highest proportion was produced by Gabbisa (26.31%) and Zemen had the lowest proportion (17.04%).

Keywords: potato (solanum tuberosum l.), yield Performance, Improved, local, Ethiopia