Genetic variability and association among yield and yield related traits in Aerial Yam /Dioscorea bulbifera (L.)/ Accessions at South-western Ethiopia

Abstract

Genetic variability and heritability analysis of different yield and yield related traits were studied in 47 accessions of Dioscorea bulbifera. The objectives of the study were to estimate the genetic variability and association among yield and yield related traits based on key morphological descriptors. Variance analysis of characters revealed significant differences among the accessions. Genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV %) was found lower than phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV %) for all characters studied. High genetic advance coupled with heritability was observed in the characters namely; vine length and tuber dry weight per plot. Significant and strong positive correlations to bulbils fresh weight /plot were observed for the characters vine length (r=1.000), leaf length(r=1.000), Leaf width (r=1.000), vine fresh weight (r=1.000) vine dry weight (r=1.000), bulbils length (r=1.000) and bulbils number (r=0.88). Bulbils fresh weight is important agronomic trait induced by many associated traits and thus characters like vine length, leaf length, Leaf width and vine fresh weight should be considered essential parameters for selection aerial yam for further breeding programme.

Key words: Aerial yam, variability, heritability, association.