Abstract:
Potato is one of the strategic crops, enhancing food security and economic benefits
to Ethiopia, but lack of well adapted cultivars is one of a production problem that
account for low yield and small area cropped to the nation. Thus, it is essential to
evaluate such genotypes, which have high yield potential and are suitable to local
environmental conditions. Therefore, this experiment was conducted in Shebench
district of Bench-Maji zone during 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 main cropping
seasons with the objective of selecting adaptable potato varieties with good
agronomic traits. The study comprised of nine improved potato varieties laid out
in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The
phenological, growth and yield data were collected and analyzed using SAS
Version 9.2 statistical software. The result of the study revealed that all of the
variables considered were significantly affected by varieties. Accordingly,
Maracharre took significantly longer days to emerge (14) and mature (109), while
Gudanie, Gera, Shenkola, Jalene and Belete flowered lately as compared to other
varieties. The maximum plant height was recorded from Gorebela, Gudanie, Belete
and Shenkola varieties, while Gudanie (5.80) and Jallanie (6.53) showed more
stem number per hill. In terms of disease incidence, Gudanie was observed to be
resistant to potato late blight disease with only 6.67 incidence percentage.
Concerning yield and yield components, the highest value of tuber number per
hill (25.27), marketable yield (41.07t/ha), unmarketable yield (6.65 t/ha) and
total tuber yield (47.72 t/ha) were recorded from variety Marrachere followed by
Gudanie where its marketable and total tuber yield is 39.39 and 40.72 t/ha,
respectively. Therefore, considering the yield potential and disease tolerance,
variety Marrachare and Gudanie were observed to be promising and
recommended in highlands of Shebench and similar agro-ecologies.
