TITLE:
Genetic Diversity of Quantitative Traits of Sugarcane Genotypes in Ethiopia
AUTHORS:
Esayas Tena, Firew Mekbib, Amsalu Ayana
KEYWORDS:
ANOVA, Cluster Analysis, Local and Introduced Sugarcane Genotypes, PCA
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.7 No.10,
July
29,
2016
ABSTRACT: Information
about the amount and distribution of genetic variation in germplasm collections
is important for their efficient management and effective utilization in plant
breeding. Therefore this study was conducted to assess genetic diversity of
sugarcane germplasm in Ethiopia. An experiment comprising of 400 sugarcane
genotypes (174 local and 226 introduced) was conducted between March 2012 and October 2013 at Wonji and
Metehara Sugar Estates using partial balanced lattice design with two
replications. Data was recorded on
21 quantitative characters which included
cane yield and its components, sugar yield and sugar quality traits. ANOVA
portrayed highly significant
differences (P 2 values ranging from 2.16
- 10.60 and inter cluster from 7.24 - 5864. There were six principal components
accounting for 79.26% of the total variation in the tested materials. Millable
stalk count, single cane weight, stalk diameter, cane yield, sugar yield and
sugar quality traits showed high positive loading on the first two PCs and
accounted for most of the variation observed among the genotypes. Therefore, this
study suggested that the important characters responsible for diversity in the
sugarcane genotypes could be grouped in two principal components namely “Yield”
and “Quality” with “Yield” traits being comparatively more important than “Quality”.
Genotypes clustered for high mean values of various traits could be exploited
for further improvement of the crop either through selection or through hybridization.
The clusters having high mean value for yield could be selected for yield per
se as well.