Phenotypic Characterization of Tiger Nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.) from Major Growing Areas in Ghana.

Phenotypic Characterization of Tiger Nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.) from Major Growing Areas in Ghana. ScientificWorldJournal. 2020;2020:7232591 Authors: Asare PA, Kpankpari R, Adu MO, Afutu E, Adewumi AS Abstract Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus Lativum) is an important but understudied and underutilized crop in Ghana. The tubers are highly appreciated for their health benefits and nutritive value. To contribute to the conservation process of tiger nut and identify elite genotypes, this study was conducted to assess phenotypic variability in tiger nut genotypes in Ghana. Sixty-four (64) genotypes were collected from major tiger nut growing areas in Ghana. The genotypes were field-grown and characterized based on phenotypic and yield traits. Similarity coefficient (Bray-Curtis) was between 0.82 and 0.98, indicating low variability in both qualitative and quantitative characters. The cophenetic correlation coefficient was 0.64. The genotypes were mainly brown with only a few black (6) tubers from the central region. Materials collected from parts of the eastern region (Aduamoah) generally recorded the highest tuber weight. Tuber weight depended on plant height and number of tillers. There were high tillering genetic materials among the genotypes. Tubers were categorised as oval (10), ovoid (33), or oblong (15). The genotypes clustered into two groups based on shoot and tuber characteristics, rather than on geographical origin. The low genet...
Source: The Scientific World Journal - Category: Science Tags: ScientificWorldJournal Source Type: research