Author(s):
Storage root and tuber crop like sweet potatoes are the most important crops that need to be cultivated for food security in countries like Ethiopia where population is growing fast, because of the highest potential yield per unit area. However, crop productions especially sweet potato were newly introduced to the irrigated areas of Afar region. Therefore, the experiment was conducted at Bonta kebeles in 2017 cropping season using RCBD with three replications to evaluate and demonstrate five released sweet potato varieties. Results of the experiment indicated that, high significant differences among varieties were observed for all yield and yield parameters: MSRN and MSRY, TSRN and USRY and ABMY. Generally, Me’e was out yielded in MSRY (27.60 t ha-1) but Dubo was the lowest performing variety (16.51 t ha-1) though, it was high yielder in ABMY (16.23 t ha-1). Agronomic parameters were also high significantly differences among varieties. Accordingly, Dubo was significant produced the highest ID (0.58 mm), but Me’e (0.46 mm) was the least. The highest and lowest IL was recorded over Me’e (3.68 mm) and Dubo (3.27 mm), respectively. The result of the correlation analysis revealed that the marketable storage root yield was highly significant and positively correlated with different parameters: TSRN (r=0.89**), TSRY (r=0.95**), ASRY (r=0.89**), IL (r=0.92**) and DPM (r=0.66**). In contrast, negative and significant correlation was also detected between MSRY and other parameters: USRN (r=-0.89**), UMSRY (r=-0.72**) and ABMY (r=-0.89**). Generally, Me’e was out yielded and selected by agro pastorals by marketable storage root number, marketable storage root yield, total storage root number, total storage root yield, high in sweetness, least in days to physiological maturity and cooking time. Therefore, rapid multiplication and delivery of planting material of selected varieties should be needed to sustain the adoption of sweet potato by agro pastorals.
