Genetic diversity and importance of traits in sweet potato genotypes aiming at silage production

Abstract

In view of the need for the adoption of more sustainable agricultural systems, it is important that the breeding programs for sweet potato seek to increase, besides the productivity of roots, the productivity and quality of vines for silage making. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity and the importance of traits related to production and quality the of silage of vines of sweet potato genotypes. The experiment was conducted on the JK Campus of the Federal University of Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, in a randomized-block design with 12 treatments and four replicates. Twelve traits of vines and silage were evaluated. Genetic variability was detected among the genotypes, allowing for the selection of divergent genotypes for future breeding programs for silage production. Genotypes BD-54 and BD-31TO were the most divergent, and so they are indicated for use in crosses aiming at the breeding of this crop for silage-making, given that the high performance per se of all evaluated genotypes has already been verified in previous studies. The Na, TDN, and NDF traits were those that most contributed to divergence.