Assessing Garden Egg Genotypes for Sugars Accumulation in Varying Growth Conditions in Ghana

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on garden egg (Solanum spp.) genotypes to investigate sugars’ accumulation response patterns of the genotypes in rain-fed and drought stress conditions at two locations in Ghana. Sixteen genotypes were grown over two years in randomized complete block design with three replications in experimental fields at Manga in the Sudan Savannah and University of Ghana, Legon in the Coastal Savannah agro-ecological zones. During the reproductive (flowering and fruit set) stages of the genotypes, the leaf sugars accumulation data from each growth condition and location were collected and analyzed. The sugars which confer tolerance of the crop to variable seasonal and drought conditions varied significantly due to the genotype and genotype x location interaction effects on their accumulation. The genotypes were found to develop internal drought survival mechanisms by decreasing total soluble sugars, starch and carbohydrates and increasing leaf relative water contents, thereby enabling plants to withstand periodic drought better. The adaptive response mechanism of the crop was also manifested in the genotypes lower sugars accumulation response patterns during drought-stress, but with Manga recording lower levels than Legon conditions. Among the genotypes studied, the A1, A2, A3, A4, A6B and A7 were the most stable in sugars accumulation under drought-stressed and dry season conditions with associated high temperatures across the locations. These genotypes could be incorporated in drought-stressed tolerant improvement programmes in Ghana.