Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Deciphering the genetic variability for morphological and floral characteristics of sweet potato genotypes from Northeastern India
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Mounika Vadde, Gowd Talamarla Yeswanth Mahidar, Deo Chandra, Singh Siddhartha, Hazarika Budhindra Nath, Rajasekhar Duddukuru
Research Articles | Published: 02 March, 2026
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Keywords: Flower traits, GAM, PCV, GCV, Descriptors and heritability
Abstract
The Sweet potato is a primary food crop for scheduled tribes and is highly valued for its starch content, making it a key ingredient in the local food industry. Characterizing plant germplasms is essential for crop improvement, with genetic diversity being crucial for effective management and utilization of crop species. This investigation aimed to characterize the twenty-nine landraces of sweet potato for vine, leaf and flower traits, collected from different states in Northeast India, with two cultivars used as checks. All the morphological traits showed diversity among the genotypes. The highest phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) among the morphological and biochemical traits were observed for tuber girth (33.87%, 32.97%, respectively) and anthocyanin content (67.79% and 70.41%, respectively). Among the traits, the highest heritability and genetic advance as percentage of mean was observed for vine length (96.05% and 84.49%), number of leaves per vine (95.35% and 107.40%) and quality traits anthocyanin content (92.72% and 134.47%), respectively, highlighting both its additive gene action and value for selection. This study will help farmers and breeders identify and differentiate sweet potato genotypes and will play a major role in developing new varieties with superior traits.
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Author Information
College of Horticulture and Forestry, Central Agricultural University, Pasighat, India