Exhibition trial and farmer participatory selection of new late-blight resistant B3C1 potato genotypes for adaptation to Nigerian conditions.

Abstract

Nineteen late-blight resistant B3C1 potato genotypes received from the International Potato Center (CIP) and two local checks were planted in an exhibition trial conducted in three potato-growing locations on the Jos Plateau of Nigeria in the 2007 rainy season. The field trials were situated in Bokkos, Kerang and Kuru as part of the accelerated variety selection scheme being promoted by CIP to speed up the release of new varieties and increase adoption rate. The objectives were to identify and select together with the farmers, high yielding and late-blight resistant genotypes and by so doing, popularize these genotypes in advance of their release. Eight B3C1 potato genotypes (P<0.05) performed better than the local check at Kuru, while three gave higher yields than the local check at Kerang. In Bokkos, none of the B3C1 genotypes yielded greater than the local checks. Clones 392617.54, 393073.179 and 396026.103 gave tuber yields that were (P<0.05) greater than the local checks in Kuru and Kerang with yields of 23.63, 25.24 and 19.79t/ha, respectively. Based on overall performance, ten of the B3C1 genotypes were selected for further evaluation. Farmers preferred genotypes with large tuber size, fewer tubers and high yield. Few of them (3% and 6%) considered tuber colour and tuber shape, respectively, as important characteristics when selecting a potato variety.