Diversity and relationships among morphological characters in the sweet potato collection of Cote D’Ivoire

Abstract

Collection and characterisation of plant materials is a crucial step in crop improvement programmes. The objective of this study was to characterise a sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) collection from the Centre National de Recherche Agronomique (CNRA) in Côte d'Ivoire, based on morphological characters, and to elucidate the relationships among them. The experiment was carried out in a Fisher design with two replications. The descriptive analyses revealed a substantial phenotypic variation within the collection. The multiple correspondence analysis showed that 15 characters out of 27 were the most discriminant to explain the variation. Furthermore, significant relationships were observed between phenotypic traits related to leaves, stems and storage roots. The hierarchical classification placed accessions into three genetic groups regardless of their geographical origin and revealed the existence of duplicate accessions. The results obtained could be used for the selection, improvement and sustainable management of sweet potato genetic resources.

Sweetpotato cultivation: characteristics, constraints and preferred traits of producers and consumers in Côte d'Ivoire

“…The preference for the purple or red color of the skin is associated with their resistance during post‐harvest handling and transport. According to Hayma 28 and Kouassi et al ., 27 red‐skinned varieties seem to keep better than white‐skinned varieties. They can be kept in the field until they are used because they are more resistant to weevil attacks and drought 29 …”

“…The results of the survey revealed that sweetpotato is an integral part of the dietary habits of local people who consume the roots. 27 Sweetpotato is consumed as porridge, stew, fried, pounded, braised, and mashed. According to Kays and Horvat, 24 the preference for sweetpotato varies according to location.…”

“…Length of the stems, color of the skin and the pulp, and shape of the roots are used by producers to select varieties for cultivation. 27 Producers, therefore, have preferences on morphological criteria that deserve to be capitalized on for better adoption of new varieties. The preference for the purple or red color of the skin is associated with their resistance during post-harvest handling and transport.…”

“…End‐users use morphological traits to select sweetpotato varieties. Length of the stems, color of the skin and the pulp, and shape of the roots are used by producers to select varieties for cultivation 27 . Producers, therefore, have preferences on morphological criteria that deserve to be capitalized on for better adoption of new varieties.…”

Agronomic evaluation sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam.) genotypes in two agro-ecological zones of Côte d’Ivoire

“…The CNRA experimental station (7°46'N, 5°06'W) and Attrokro (07° 35' N, 04° 48' W) are located in central Côte d'Ivoire. Relative humidity, which fluctuates between 70% and 80% in rainy periods, can drop to 55% in January (8). The temperature varies between 25°C and 38°C, with annual rainfall ranging from 1000 mm to 1700 mm.…”