Genetic diversity for attributes of biological nitrogen fixation in Abyssinian field pea (Pisum sativum var. Abyssinicum) germplasm accessions

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Gemechu Keneni
Fassil Assefa
M. Imtiaz
Endashaw Bekele

Abstract

Breeding of Abyssinian field pea (Pisum sativum var. Abyssinicum) genotypes effective forbiological nitrogen fixation (BNF) has considerable economic and ecological significance. Anexperiment was conducted to study the magnitude of genetic diversity for attributes ofbiological nitrogen fixation. The experiment was carried out in 2007 in the greenhouse onVertisol and Nitisol soils at Addis Ababa University using a randomized complete block designwith three replications, where the Nitrogen difference technique with Yellow Dodolla, a varietyof Brassica carinata A Braün as a reference crop, was used to estimate the proportions of nitrogenderived from soil and atmosphere. Differences among the accessions for 14 traits studied weresignificant on both soil types. However, genotype by soil type interaction effects were significantonly for early vigor, number of nodules, nodule dry weight, foliage phosphorus content (%),phosphorus derived from fertilizer (%) and phosphorus uptake efficiency (%). This indicatedthat the two soils were distinctly different or the accessions responded differently to soil type forthese traits. Cluster analysis for average performances on the two soils grouped the accessionsinto four different classes, and Mahalanobis’s D 2 analyses showed significant genetic distancesbetween most of the clusters. Five accessions, namely MColl-7/07, MColl-8/07, TKColl-6/07,MCColl-4/07 and TKColl-3/07 were identified as best fixers of nitrogen under both Vertisol andNitisol soils with a fixation range of 41- 45 % and these accessions could be exploited in futurebreeding endeavors to develop BNF efficient genotypes. Additionally, there was no clearinterrelationship between the origins of accessions and the pattern of genetic diversity as therewere genotypes from the same source of origin fell into different clusters and vice versa.

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How to Cite
Keneni, G., Assefa, F., Imtiaz, M., & Bekele, E. (1). Genetic diversity for attributes of biological nitrogen fixation in Abyssinian field pea (Pisum sativum var. Abyssinicum) germplasm accessions. Ethiopian Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 4(2), 1-20. Retrieved from https://journals.ju.edu.et/index.php/ejast/article/view/888
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Author Biographies

Gemechu Keneni, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Holetta
Agricultural Research Center, P. O. Box 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Fassil Assefa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Department of Biology, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

M. Imtiaz, Aleppo, Syria

International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), P. O. Box 5466,
Aleppo, Syria

Endashaw Bekele, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Department of Biology, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia