COMPARATIVE STUDY ON DRY MATTER PARTITIONING IN FIVE EXOTIC GENOTYPES AND FIVE LOCAL VARIETIES OF SWEET POTATO

Abstract

In a comparative study dry matter partitioning, dry matter content, dry weight and dry matter yield of tuberous roots of five exotic genotypes and five local varieties of sweet potato were evaluated. Total fresh weight and total dry matter weight increased with plant age. Local varieties produced comparatively higher fresh weight than dry weight, whereas exotic genotypes produced lower fresh weight but higher dry weight. The highest fresh weight (1950.90 g) was found in Kamalasundari and dry weight (525.91 g) in JB. Deposition of dry matter in leaves, vines and storage roots increased with plant ages except in absorbing fibrous roots. Dry matter content and dry matter yield of storage roots also increased with days gone. The highest amount (64.80%) of dry matter deposited to storage roots of J9 followed by JB (62.90%) and Kamalasundari (60.31%), whereas the lowest amount (43.93%) was recorded in Daulatpuri. TIle highest dry matter content (37.46%) in storage root was recorded in J8 followed by J7 (34.32%) and JB (33.20%) and the lowest (18.46%) in Kamalasundari. The maximum dry weight as well as dry matter yield was obtained in JB followed by J9 and J8. The minimum dry weight and dry matter yield were found in Daulatpuri. The exotic genotypes showed better performance than the local varieties tested in respect of yield attributes and JB showed the best performance in producing dry matter yield (18.38 t/ha)