Abstract
Dioscorea alata L. is a highly important crop, widely distributed in the humid and semi-humid tropics. Flow cytometry was used to determine the ploidy levels of 74 D. alata genotypes collected mainly from West African countries. Sixty three of the genotypes were found to be tetraploid, one was hexaploid and ten were octoploid. The high percentage of tetraploids together with the small percentage of hexaploid individuals and the absence of diploid individuals gives us some more clues on the possible origin of these species. No association between ploidy level and place of cultivation was found for the tested material. The obtained results represent important knowledge for enhancing the breeding methodologies and optimize germplasm management of this species. It also offers further insights to the phylogeny and evolution of Dioscorea species.
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Acknowledgements
This study would not have been possible without the support of the Kirkhouse trust (UK), through the travel grant awarded to Jude Obidiegwu. The authors are grateful to FCT for providing the grants of João Loureiro (FCT/BPD/36601/2007) and Eleazar Rodriguez (FCT/BD/2006). The technical assistance of Hammed Adeola and Olatunji Aina of the Central Biotechnology Laboratory (CBL), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, is also acknowledged.
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Obidiegwu, J., Rodriguez, E., Ene-Obong, E. et al. Ploidy levels of Dioscorea alata L. germplasm determined by flow cytometry. Genet Resour Crop Evol 57, 351–356 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-009-9473-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-009-9473-8