Screening of Potato Germplasms for Heat Stress in Lowland, Fafan, Somali Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a critical food security crop and a key source of income for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. Despite its potential to produce high yields on limited land and within a short growing period, potato production in lowland areas remains limited due to high temperature stress. Developing and evaluating heat-tolerant potato genotypes adapted to these agro-ecologies is therefore essential. This study aimed to assess the yield performance of fifteen potato genotypes under lowland conditions at the Fafen Agricultural Research Station in the Somali Region during the 2021 and 2022 cropping seasons. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed highly significant differences among genotypes and between years for most yield-related traits, except days to flowering and maturity. Significant genotype × year interaction effects were observed for all traits except days to flowering, maturity, plant vigor, and plant height. Among the tested genotypes, CIP312923.522 and CIP312906.575 exhibited superior performance, producing the highest marketable tuber yields in categories I (>80 g tuber⁻¹) and II (>30 g tuber⁻¹), and total tuber yield, respectively. These promising genotypes are recommended for further evaluation in variety verification trials under on-station and on-farm conditions in the study area and other similar lowland agro-ecologies.