GENETIC VARIATION IN A WIDE GENE BASE POPULATION OF SWEET POTATO [Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam]

Abstract

Design I mating system was used to estimate the components of genetic variation of sweet potato base population. Characters studied were total root yield, weight and number of marketable roots, total number of roots, fresh weight of vines, harvest index, scab rating and dry matter content of roots. Significant additive and dominance genotypic variances were observed in the population with high magnitude of the latter in all characters except in scab rating. The moderately high magnitudes of additive genetic variance for scab rating and dry matter content obtained suggest that the population may be im-proved using any available intrapopulation selection procedure like mass selec-tion and full-sib tamily selection for the characters mentioned. Selected indivi-duals or full-sib families can be intercrossed to utilize the high dominance varia-tion in the population. Dry matter content of the roots with its very low co-efficient of variability, is considered the most reliable basis for selection in this population.