ADAPTABILITY RESEARCH OF FOUR VARIETIES OF IRISH POTATOES (SOLANUM TUBEROSUM) IMPORTED FROM CZECH REPUBLIC AT KWAJA, MUBI ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This research was conducted to assess the adaptability of the four varieties of Potatoes imported from the Czech Republic by Nigerian Experts on agricultural educational mission at Kwaja, Mubi Adamawa State Nigeria. The researcher aim is to apply the knowledge gained in the course of their mission to Czech Republic by embarking on the adaptability research on the new varieties which was given to them at no cost by the management staff of Potato Research Institute of Czech
Republic in consultation with Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague. This will add value to potato
production in Nigeria which is in dare need, increase yield, early maturing, disease resistance and improve income, food security and livelihood of small scale farmers and their households. Study
area is Kwaja, locally called the Mubi Plateau due to the altitude and low temperature of the area in
Mubi South local government area, Adamawa state. The temperature of the regime of the research area is warm to hot throughout the year, because of the high radiation Although, there has been a
gradual increase in temperature from January to April with seasonal maximum in April, temperature
drops slightly at the onset of rains due to the effects of cloudiness. It increases a bit after the
cessation of rains in October to November. Four commercially released varieties of potato named
as Dali, Careira, Redsonia and Connect (controlled) imported from the Potato Research Institute of
Czech Republic with the exception of Connect which is under cultivation in the country. The field
was laid out in a Randomized Complete Black Design (RCBD) with three replications. The unit plot size was 9 m2 (3 m×3), having four rows (ridges) consisting of ten hills with intra and inter raw spacing of 0.3 and 0.75 m, respectively. Plant heights responded well to the environment. Data
collected were plant heights, leaf area, stem girth, number of branches, weight of seed tubers per
stand, weight of tubers per stand and yield (tons/ha). Results revealed that all the varieties tested performed well under the environmental condition of Kwaja plateau, Mubi Adamawa State.
It is recommended that all the varieties are here by recommended for potato growers on Kwaja Plateau and any other locations with similar environmental characteristics.