Seed Germination and Evaluation of the Roots of Open Pollinated Exotic Sweetpotato Seedlings for Variations in Root Flesh Colour

Abstract:

Botanical seeds (from a polycross) of 21 families was raised in the screen house and then transplanted to a well-prepared ridge at the experimental field of National Roots Crops Research Institute Umudike, Southeastern Nigeria in an unreplicated block. This study was undertaken with the aim to determine the number of seeds germinated among the families, period of germination, percentage field survivability of the seedlings and variability in root flesh colour from various families. The seedlings root flesh colour were evaluated in the field on a single plant basis with a planting space of 1.0 x 1.0m per plant. Data rating were on number of germinated seeds, number of field survivability, number of flesh colour variability while the root fleshed characteristics were graded using Sweetpotato colour chart. Results obtained indicated that from the 21 sweetpotato families, 1,292 seedligs which accounted for 52.4% survived in the screen house. However, the family of Moza 1-3/v8 had the highest survivability percentage of 95.8% indicating its ability to survive the local environmental conditions. The highest germination rate of 47.0% was obtained two weeks after planting while the least percentage of 1.0% was at six weeks after planting which showed that within six weeks after planting, all viable seeds might had germinated. The 772 sweetpotato plants harvested produced nine different root fleshed colours. The 231 sweetpotato seedlings produced deep orange fleshed colour, 84 seedlings produced light orange fleshed colour, 114 seedlings had yellow root fleshed colour, 13 seedlings produced white fleshed root colour while 54 seedlings produced cream fleshed root colour. This indicated that there are many varieties of sweetpotatoes which could be put to various uses.