Selection of cassava genotypes based on the differences of harvesting time and initiation of in vitro culture

Abstract

Rahman N, Fitriani H, Hartati, Hartati NS. 2015. Selection of cassava genotypes based on the differences of harvesting time and initiation of in vitro culture. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1: 1761-1765. Cassava is a pillar in food diversification program to support food security. Research of cassava is directed to improve cultivars attributes s, including high yield, high starch content and early harvest. This study was aimed to determine/to select the early harvested cassava genotypes in order to meet the food supply. The study was conducted at Research Center for Biotechnology- LIPI at Cibinong. Thirteen genotypes/varieties of cassava were used as plant materials and tested to select the early harvested cassava genotypes. The stems of cassava were grown with 3 replicates and harvested at four different harvesting times, which is 4, 6, 8 and 10 months. The growth parameters observed were plant height and diameter, tuber weight, tuber numbers and the yield of starch. Menti and Gajah indicated as genotypes that had highest plant height among others, with 266.39 cm and 287.16 cm respectively when the plants were harvested at 10 months old. These genotypes also had the highest tuber weight among the other genotypes, with an average weight 1538.33 gram and 1666.67 gram, respectively. Menti also had the highest number of tubers. The highest starch yield, which 15-22%, is obtained from genotype Manggu, followed successively by KM Cimanggu, Baros Kencana, and Menti. Based on these parameters observed, Menti can be categorized as an early harvest cassava candidate that can be harvested at 6-8 month based on plant growth, tuber weight, tuber number and starch content. Gajah genotype as one candidate of early harvested cassava was used as a source of explants for in vitro propagation.