Genetic diversity of enset (Ensete ventricosum (Weelw)) from Southern Ethiopia using morphological traits

South and Southwestern part of Ethiopia is repository for indigenous crop ‘ensete ventricosum. To assess the diversity of these clones, study was carried out in Southern part Sheka zone, Ethiopia. The altitude of the study area ranged from lowland to highland. The study was conducted on-farm within these three agro-ecologies viz., lowland (Yeki), Midlan (Andiracha) and highland (Masha). The result indicated that there were significant variations among genotypes in few qualitative traits (psedostem and most quantitative traits. Moderate variations were observed among enset clones in pseudostem and midrib color with evenness (E) values of 0.59 and 0.54 respectively. Besides, the enset in the study area differ in stature ranging from minimum of 2 m to maximum of 7m, leaf length (2.00-6.80 m), leaf width (0.4-0.98cm) and psedustem circumference (1.00-2.90m). The altitudinal effects on growth of enset were observed where the maximum growth parameters diversified enset clones were recorded at higher altitude and decreased with decrement of altitude indicating higher altitude to be conducive for enset productions and diverse enset genetic resources.  

Author(s): Neim Semman AbaDura*, Tewodros Mulualem Beyene, Weyessa Garadew

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