Morphoagronomic characterization and path analysis of production components in cassava clones

Abstract

The objectives of this work were to perform the agronomic characterization of 100 cassava plants (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and to obtain path coefficients analysis between the storage root production (basic variable) and five production components (explanative variable). The experiment was conducted at a research farm of Universidade Federal de Lavras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in square lattice (10x10), with two replications, using 100 clones and four plants per plot. Statistical analyses were accomplished considering the eight characteristics individually. The Scott-Knott's test was used for grouping the means. Clones 87 and 88 showed to be promising both to be used in crossings and to be fixed as new cultivate, due to their excellent performance in the characteristics: length, number and storage roots production per plant. Path coefficient analysis demonstrates that root number per plant and aerial part weight can be used as criteria of indirect selection for storage roots production.