TITLE:
Expression of Heterosis and Heritability in Vegetative Traits of Gongronema latifolia
AUTHORS:
Christian Ugwu Agbo, Jaime A.Teixeira da Silva
KEYWORDS:
Hybrid Vigour, Hybrids, Leaves, Productivity, Selection
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Genetics,
Vol.4 No.2,
April
10,
2014
ABSTRACT: The existence of hybrid vigour with high heritability in
vegetative traits of Gongronema latifolia will increase its productivity. This study was therefore undertaken to estimate
heterosis and heritability in the vegetative traits of G. latifolia. Stem cuttings
of five heterozygous parents of different geographical origin, and seeds of 10
hybrids resulting from their crosses were laid out in a randomized complete
block design with three replications in a field. Data on the vegetative traits
were obtained at the maximum growth period in each year of study and was used
to estimate heterosis and heritability over the years. Better parent heterosis
(BPH) ranged from -72% to 78% over three years. All the vegetative traits—with
the exception of cordate base size—showed positive heterosis in a minimum of
four cross combinations in two years. The cross AKS-33-EKPENE EDIENE X
ANS-53-AWKA gave a higher BPH ranging from 5% to 6% in leaf area in the three
years. The crosses ENS-48-MBU X IMS-50-NJIABA and ENS-48-MBU X ANS-53-AWKA gave
higher BPH for leaf length and breadth for the first two years. All crosses
showed positive and negative BPH for number of vines/plant and cordate base
size, respectively. The hybrids ENS-48-MBU X IMS-50-NJIABA and EBS-49-ISHIAGU X
IMS-50-NJIABA, with highly heritable BPH > 60 cm2 leaf area, will
be selected in favour of other hybrids and parents. The selection of these
hybrids will improve and maintain productivity in the species as the leaves are
the harvestable part and the species is vegetatively propagated.