Studies on the scope of genetic improvement for yield and yield related traits in potato (Solanum tuberosum L) production

The present experiment was conducted in the winter season during 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 at Seed Production Farm Adisaptagram, Govt of West Bengal, Hooghly, West Bengal with twenty three potato genotypes collected from AICRP on potato, BCKV centre. Twenty three potato genotypes were screened and evaluated for yield and yield related characters viz., yield per square meter (kg), yield per plant (kg), number of tubers per plant, number of tubers per square meter, single tuber, weight. (gm), plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, harvest index, tuber length (mm), tuber breadth (mm), small tuber percentage, medium tuber percentage, large tuber percentage. Analysis of variance for potato clearly revealed significant (at 1% level) differences among the genotypes for all the characters studied. In the present investigation, all the characters showed high heritability coupled with high genetic advance. Tuber yield per plant showed significantly positive correlation both at genotypic and phenotypic level with tuber yield per meter square, single tuber weight (gm) and no. of tubers per plant. Yield per meter square also showed significant positive correlation coefficient with single tuber weight (gm) and no. of tubers per plant. Very high and positive direct effects of no. of tubers per plant, tuber no. per meter square, single tuber weight and yield per meter square were found on tuber yield per plant. From the experimental results, it is evident that the characters viz., no. of tubers per plant, single tuber weight, yield per square meter, are important in potato for high tuber and yield per plant and emphasis should be given on these characters in selection of parents for hybridization programme. From the present experiment the genotypes K. Sadabahar and K. Chipsona-1 were identified as the highest performer in respect of yield per plant as well as yield per square meter, but in respect of mean performances K. Chipsona-1 was the best performer for both the characters studied.