Tuber Yield Performance and Stability of Potato Genotypes in the Potential Highlands of Ethiopia

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important and widely cultivated root and tuber crops in Ethiopia. A multi-environment national potato variety trial was conducted at Adet, Debre Birhan, Holetta, and Bekoji in Ethiopia during the 2019 and 2020 under rain-fed season to develop a high-yielding, widely adaptable, and late blight-tolerant variety with acceptable tuber quality traits. Fourteen genotypes and two standard checks, Belete and Dagim, were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Combined analysis of variance across locations and years revealed that the genotypes differed significantly in marketable and total tuber yields. The combined data also revealed that CIP-313021.31(G1) gave the highest tuber yield of 42.0 t ha-1, followed by CIP-313021.4 (G11) (40.7t ha-1) and CIP-313033.114 (39.4 t ha-1). Similarly, AMMI and GGE bi-plot identified that G1 (CIP-313021.31) was found to be the most ideal and stable genotype with high mean tuber yield across environments. Moreover, CIP-313021.31 was selected based on a low percentage of late blight severity and has a highly farmer-preferred trait. As a result, CIP-313021.31 (G1) has been officially released and registered by the given name Tesfa for commercial production due to its high yielding, late blight tolerance, wide adaptability, and stability across environments in potato growing areas of the country.