Evaluating Local Garlic (Allium sativum L ) Accessions using Multivariate Analysis Based on agro-morphological Characters in Southern Tigray, Ethiopia

Abstract

To assess the diversity and trait association of eight local garlic accessions, a study was conducted in southern Tigray, Ethiopia using Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications during 2014 cropping season. Cluster analysis using Ward's method classified the eight accessions into three clusters. Cluster I and III were equally with three number of accessions while, cluster II contains two accessions. The three principal component analysis with Eigen value greater than one explained 81% of the variability in the data set. Using the first principal component and the second principal component indirect selection could be effective using all accessions except accessions three and eight. The accessions by trait biplot showed that traits under study have positive association signifying narrow angle between them.

Key words: cluster analysis, principal component, garlic accessions