Growth and Water Content Responses of the Selected Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Genotypes to Drought and Salinity; and their Effects on Yield

B. Abiola Monsurat *

Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

O. J. Oyetunji

Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

O. S. Oyetunji

Department of Botany, Lagos State University, Nigeria

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

Aims: To screen ten selected cassava genotypes for tolerance to drought and salinity using growth and yield attributes; and leaf relative water contents (LRWC) as screening tools.

Study design: The design was factorial consisting of ten cassava genotypes, three treatments (and control) with six replications laid out in a randomized complete block design(RCBD).

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, between January and July, 2019.

Methodology: There were a total of 240 experimental units, 60 units in each group. It was a semi-field experiment. All plants were watered for 6 weeks before exposing them to the physiological stresses of drought (D), salinity (S) and their interaction (D×S). The designated plants were subjected to S by applying 100mM of NaCl solution, D by with-holding water for 2 weeks interval, (D×S) by combining the two stresses and the first block (the first 60 units) served as control.

Results: With respect to plant height, the least and most significantly affected by drought were IBA120008 (61.94 cm) and I098510 (32.77 cm); by salinity were IBA120008 (57.09 cm) and I920326 (35.24 cm) and by D×S were IBA120008 (67.45 cm) and I920326 (34.57cm), respectively. With respect to RWC at the final stage of growth, the most tolerant were TMEB419 (100.00%) under D, I980581 (100.00%) under S and I010040 (100.00%) under D×S while the most susceptible were TMEB693 (89.75%), IBA120008 (63.64%) and I070593 (55.56%) under D, S and D×S respectively. In all the three stresses, genotype I980581 was the least significantly affected with the tuber yield of 174.54g.

Conclusion: High shoot growth does not guarantee high yield. It can also be concluded that drought had more detrimental effects on cassava productivity than salinity and their combination.

Keywords: Cassava genotypes, Tolerance; Growth, Relative water content, drought and salinity


How to Cite

Monsurat, B. Abiola, O. J. Oyetunji, and O. S. Oyetunji. 2021. “Growth and Water Content Responses of the Selected Cassava (Manihot Esculenta Crantz) Genotypes to Drought and Salinity; And Their Effects on Yield”. Asian Journal of Research in Botany 4 (2):306-21. https://journalajrib.com/index.php/AJRIB/article/view/121.

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