Effect of Spider Plant Accessions on Phenotypic Traits: Implications for Breeders and Farmers in Kenya

Spider plant (Cleome gynandra L.) is an important African leafy vegetable (ALV) that has been used by local African communities as a source of nutrition in their diets for many years. The plant has recently attracted an increasing demand for its highly nutritive and health-promoting bioactive compounds important in combating malnutrition and reducing human degenerative diseases. Despite the great value of the spider plant, its supply and cultivation remain low, a factor attributed to unavailability of superior genotypes. This study carried out at Ruiru Sub-county, Kiambu County in Kenya sought to establish the influence of genotypic variation on spider plant phenotypic diversity for future breeding and conservations. Experimental plots were set up in the field in Ruiru using split-plot design with three replications. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the significance of variables. Results indicated that genotypes MLSF3, UGSF36, UGSF14, and MLSF17 produced the highest number of flowers, large petioles, big stem sizes and large leaf area respectively.  In conclusion, the study recommends the adoption of genotypes MLSF17, UGSF14, UGSF36 and MLSF3 by farmers considering their outstanding positive effect on phenotypic traits.