Importance of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in Malawi: a consolidation of morphological, organoleptic and beta-carotene analysis

In order to better understand farmers’ sweetpotato varieties grown in Malawi for subsequent improvement and effective contribution of agricultural research to livelihood, a study which involved germplasm collection and indigenous knowledge documentation survey in 2003 in Chikwawa and Nsanje District...

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Main Authors: Chipungu, Felistus P., Saka, J.D.K., Ambali, A.J.D., Mahungu, N.M., Mkumbira, J.
Format: Conference Paper
Language:Inglés
Published: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/91060
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author Chipungu, Felistus P.
Saka, J.D.K.
Ambali, A.J.D.
Mahungu, N.M.
Mkumbira, J.
author_browse Ambali, A.J.D.
Chipungu, Felistus P.
Mahungu, N.M.
Mkumbira, J.
Saka, J.D.K.
author_facet Chipungu, Felistus P.
Saka, J.D.K.
Ambali, A.J.D.
Mahungu, N.M.
Mkumbira, J.
author_sort Chipungu, Felistus P.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In order to better understand farmers’ sweetpotato varieties grown in Malawi for subsequent improvement and effective contribution of agricultural research to livelihood, a study which involved germplasm collection and indigenous knowledge documentation survey in 2003 in Chikwawa and Nsanje Districts of the Shire Valley where vitamin A deficiency is prevalent was conducted. A total of 115 accessions were collected and planted at Bvumbwe Research Station in 2004 and 2005 seasons for morphological characterisation. A preference study by naive panelists was conducted at Bvumbwe Research Station to identify organoleptic attributes considered valuable by farmers on storage roots of 15 sweetpotato cultivars. Among other attributes, these 15 cultivars were selected to represent a wider range of storage root flesh colour and those prevalently grown in Malawi and the Shire Valley . Determination on beta-carotene content of the 15 genotypes was conducted where Babache and Mfumu, white fleshed cultivars and the most prevalent cultivars in the Shire Valley Districts registered low levels of beta-carotene (0.19 and 0.76 mg/100g fresh weight respectively). Morphological analysis indicated that Nsanje District has 4% pale orange cultivars, 1% intermediate orange and 1% dark orange, Chikwawa District has none at all in these character states of flesh colour. By use of a preference scoring scale of 1-5, different cultivars were preferred most for different organoleptic characteristics (texture, taste, flavour and flesh colour). An important revelation however showed that the naïve panel preferred Zondeni most an orange fleshed colour and a local cultivar which registered the highest beta-carotene content (13.93mg/100g fresh weight) at five months old suggesting that colour may not be a barrier to promoting orange fleshed cultivars in the communities where these cultivars are less popular. However, since it appears to be a challenge to develop and identify an ideal genotype that contain all of the preferred traits, researchers can easy their work, by combining attributes into different genotypes with the knowledge base that farmers will select, manage and maintain multiples of cultivars. Further, the study has revealed that local cultivars are good sources for valuable attributes including yield which needs to be exploited in trait combination before justifying new or exotic germplasm introduction for adaptability or genes introgression.
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spelling CGSpace910602024-01-17T12:58:34Z Importance of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in Malawi: a consolidation of morphological, organoleptic and beta-carotene analysis Chipungu, Felistus P. Saka, J.D.K. Ambali, A.J.D. Mahungu, N.M. Mkumbira, J. sweetpotatoes farmers malawi organoleptic cultivars livelihoods beta carotene In order to better understand farmers’ sweetpotato varieties grown in Malawi for subsequent improvement and effective contribution of agricultural research to livelihood, a study which involved germplasm collection and indigenous knowledge documentation survey in 2003 in Chikwawa and Nsanje Districts of the Shire Valley where vitamin A deficiency is prevalent was conducted. A total of 115 accessions were collected and planted at Bvumbwe Research Station in 2004 and 2005 seasons for morphological characterisation. A preference study by naive panelists was conducted at Bvumbwe Research Station to identify organoleptic attributes considered valuable by farmers on storage roots of 15 sweetpotato cultivars. Among other attributes, these 15 cultivars were selected to represent a wider range of storage root flesh colour and those prevalently grown in Malawi and the Shire Valley . Determination on beta-carotene content of the 15 genotypes was conducted where Babache and Mfumu, white fleshed cultivars and the most prevalent cultivars in the Shire Valley Districts registered low levels of beta-carotene (0.19 and 0.76 mg/100g fresh weight respectively). Morphological analysis indicated that Nsanje District has 4% pale orange cultivars, 1% intermediate orange and 1% dark orange, Chikwawa District has none at all in these character states of flesh colour. By use of a preference scoring scale of 1-5, different cultivars were preferred most for different organoleptic characteristics (texture, taste, flavour and flesh colour). An important revelation however showed that the naïve panel preferred Zondeni most an orange fleshed colour and a local cultivar which registered the highest beta-carotene content (13.93mg/100g fresh weight) at five months old suggesting that colour may not be a barrier to promoting orange fleshed cultivars in the communities where these cultivars are less popular. However, since it appears to be a challenge to develop and identify an ideal genotype that contain all of the preferred traits, researchers can easy their work, by combining attributes into different genotypes with the knowledge base that farmers will select, manage and maintain multiples of cultivars. Further, the study has revealed that local cultivars are good sources for valuable attributes including yield which needs to be exploited in trait combination before justifying new or exotic germplasm introduction for adaptability or genes introgression. 2010 2018-02-21T09:56:03Z 2018-02-21T09:56:03Z Conference Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/91060 en Limited Access International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Chipungu, F.P., Saka, J.D.K., Ambali, A.J.D., Mahungu, N.M. & Mkumbira, J. (2010). Importance of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in Malawi: a consolidation of morphological, organoleptic and beta-carotene analysis. In: Proceedings of 10th ISTRC-AB symposium in Mozambique: root and tuber crops for poverty alleviation through science and technology for sustainable development, (p. 303-313), 8-12 October, Maputo.
spellingShingle sweetpotatoes
farmers
malawi
organoleptic
cultivars
livelihoods
beta carotene
Chipungu, Felistus P.
Saka, J.D.K.
Ambali, A.J.D.
Mahungu, N.M.
Mkumbira, J.
Importance of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in Malawi: a consolidation of morphological, organoleptic and beta-carotene analysis
title Importance of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in Malawi: a consolidation of morphological, organoleptic and beta-carotene analysis
title_full Importance of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in Malawi: a consolidation of morphological, organoleptic and beta-carotene analysis
title_fullStr Importance of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in Malawi: a consolidation of morphological, organoleptic and beta-carotene analysis
title_full_unstemmed Importance of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in Malawi: a consolidation of morphological, organoleptic and beta-carotene analysis
title_short Importance of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in Malawi: a consolidation of morphological, organoleptic and beta-carotene analysis
title_sort importance of orange fleshed sweetpotato cultivars in malawi a consolidation of morphological organoleptic and beta carotene analysis
topic sweetpotatoes
farmers
malawi
organoleptic
cultivars
livelihoods
beta carotene
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/91060
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