Next Article in Journal
Use of a Biostimulant Based on Seaweed Extract as a Sustainable Input to Enhance the Quality of Solanaceous Seedlings
Previous Article in Journal
Gene-Based Developments in Improving Quality of Tomato: Focus on Firmness, Shelf Life, and Pre- and Post-Harvest Stress Adaptations
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Horticulturae
Volume 10
Issue 6
10.3390/horticulturae10060640
horticulturae-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Characterization of the Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Germplasm in Sierra Leone Based on Agro-Morphological and Culinary Traits

by
Vandi Amara
1,
Alusaine Edward Samura
1,*,
Prince Emmanuel Norman
2,
Sheku Alfred Kanu
3,
Kumba Yannah Karim
3,
Fidèle Tiendrebeogo
4,
Angela Obiageli Eni
4 and
Justin S. Pita
4
1
Department of Crop Protection, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Njala University, Njala Campus, Njala 1313, Sierra Leone
2
Germplasm Enhancement and Seeds System, Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI), Tower Hill, PMB, Freetown 1313, Sierra Leone
3
Department of Crop Science, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Njala University, Njala Campus, Njala 1313, Sierra Leone
4
Regional Center of Excellence for Transboundary Plant Pathogens, Central and West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE), Pôle Scientifique et d’Innovation, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan BPV 34, Côte d’Ivoire
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Horticulturae 2024, 10(6), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060640
Submission received: 3 April 2024 / Revised: 4 May 2024 / Accepted: 15 May 2024 / Published: 14 June 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Genetics, Genomics, Breeding, and Biotechnology (G2B2))
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

The dearth of information on the extent of genetic variability in cassava limits the genetic improvement of cassava in Sierra Leone. This study aimed at assessing the genetic variability and relationships within 103 cassava genotypes using agro-morphological and culinary markers. A field trial was conducted in the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences research site. The experiment was laid out in an augmented randomized block design. Morphological classification based on qualitative and quantitative traits categorized the germplasm into three different groups. A total of ten principal components (PCs) in the qualitative and six PCs in the quantitative trait sets accounted for 66.74% and 67.27% of the total genetic variation, respectively. Traits with significantly strong and positive correlations included presence of fruit (PFRT) and presence of seeds (PSE) (r = 0.86 ***), root yield per plant (RYPP) and number of storage roots (NSR) (r = 0.76 ***), RYPP and number of commercial roots (NCR) (r = 0.68 ***), length of leaf lobes (LLL) and width of leaf lobes (WLL) (r = 0.66 ***), and between NSR and NCR (r = 0.84 ***). The cooking time, cooking percentage, texture, mealiness, taste, and aroma varied widely among the accessions. The findings established that the cassava germplasm possesses useful genetic variability that could be exploited through selection for short-term release programs, genetic conservation of the valuable germplasm, and genetic improvement of the crop.
Keywords: cassava; germplasm; genetic variability; morpho-culinary markers; phenotypic relationship cassava; germplasm; genetic variability; morpho-culinary markers; phenotypic relationship

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Amara, V.; Samura, A.E.; Norman, P.E.; Kanu, S.A.; Karim, K.Y.; Tiendrebeogo, F.; Eni, A.O.; Pita, J.S. Characterization of the Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Germplasm in Sierra Leone Based on Agro-Morphological and Culinary Traits. Horticulturae 2024, 10, 640. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060640

AMA Style

Amara V, Samura AE, Norman PE, Kanu SA, Karim KY, Tiendrebeogo F, Eni AO, Pita JS. Characterization of the Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Germplasm in Sierra Leone Based on Agro-Morphological and Culinary Traits. Horticulturae. 2024; 10(6):640. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060640

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amara, Vandi, Alusaine Edward Samura, Prince Emmanuel Norman, Sheku Alfred Kanu, Kumba Yannah Karim, Fidèle Tiendrebeogo, Angela Obiageli Eni, and Justin S. Pita. 2024. "Characterization of the Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Germplasm in Sierra Leone Based on Agro-Morphological and Culinary Traits" Horticulturae 10, no. 6: 640. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060640

APA Style

Amara, V., Samura, A. E., Norman, P. E., Kanu, S. A., Karim, K. Y., Tiendrebeogo, F., Eni, A. O., & Pita, J. S. (2024). Characterization of the Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Germplasm in Sierra Leone Based on Agro-Morphological and Culinary Traits. Horticulturae, 10(6), 640. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060640

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop