Abstract

Jane Muthoni

This study was conducted at Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center, Regional Center for Africa ((AVRDC - RCA), Madiira Experimental Research Station in Arusha, Tanzania in 2005. The objective of the study was to document vegetative agromophological traits in the Ethiopian mustard lines held at AVRDC – RCA in order to identify lines with useful traits that can be used as genitors for active breeding; and to rationalize the conservation of this species. Forty-seven lines of Ethiopian mustard were characterized for vegetative agromophological traits. Significant differences (P 0.05) were observed in most quantitative traits with eighty eight percent of the accessions flowering after 84 days from sowing. Among the qualitative traits, great variation was seen in leaf number/plant, leaf bloom and leaf blade blistering. There was a strongly negative significant correlation between days to 50% flowering and plant height with tall plants flowering early. There was a positive non-significant correlation between days to 50% flowering and leaf dimensions. There was a significant negative correlation between days to 50% flowering and leaves per plant with plants with many leaves flowering early. There was a positive non-significant correlation between leaf dimensions and leaves per plant. Results from diversity dendrogram showed two main clusters with three subclusters showing intra-species diversity. These preliminary results indicate that there is a wide variation in Ethiopian mustard collection held at AVRDC-RCA based on vegetative agromorphological traits. Further work should consider agromorphological characterization at reproductive phase or molecular characterization in order to get a clearer picture of this diversity