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Author
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Nyachenga, Nyasha
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Title
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An Evaluation of the performance of new Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum.L) varieties on yield potential and vegetative growth in Zimbabwe in highveld (Mutare)
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Abstract
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In Zimbabwe, potatoes are one of the most consistent crops in terms of market demand for both the formal and informal markets. A scientific study to evaluate the performance of new Irish potato varieties on yield potential and vegetative growth was conducted in Honde Valley at Sahumani village, Mutasa district in Manicaland province during the 2023-2024 season. The six new varieties BR11, BR12, BR13, BR15, BR16 and BR17 were grown with the addition of some locally available varieties that is, Amethyst, BP1 as well as Garnet. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with nine treatments. The trial was replicated three times and the analysis of data was done using Genstat Seventeenth Edition. Data was recorded for parameters such as tuber yield, days to 95% maturity, days to 50% flowering, number of stolons, the stem height of the potato varieties and number of leaves. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that there was a significant difference (P<0.05) on tuber yield, height of potato varieties, days to flowering, number of leaves and days to maturity. Amethyst, BR17, Garnet, BR13, BP1, BR15 and BR16 varieties took longer days to 50% flowering respectively. BR17, BR13, BR12, BR15 and BR16 took longer days to 95% maturity. Highest tuber yielding was recorded in variety BR13, BR12 and BR16 with 60.67kgs and 56.33kgs respectively. In conclusion, the new varieties had a higher tuber yield potential with BR13, BR12 and BR16 producing the maximum tuber yielding followed by BR11, BR15, Garnet, Amethyst, BP1 and BR17. Some of the new potato varieties yielded better than the locally available potato varieties. The new varieties can therefore be released on the market to the farmers in Highveld, Mutare who are currently growing the locally available potato varieties which have been out performed. The new potato varieties can also be grown and tested for other parameters such as disease and pest resistance in other agro-ecological regions in Zimbabwe.
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Date
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2025
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Publisher
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BUSE
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Keywords
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Irish potato
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Yield potential
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Vegetative growth
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Supervisor
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Mrs Kamota
