@article{fdi:010074472,
  title = {{A}gro-ecological distribution of the phenotypic diversity of aerial yam ({D}ioscorea bulbifera {L}.) in {C}ameroon using multivariate analysis : prospect for germplasm conservation and improvement},
  author = {{K}ouam, {E}. {B}. and {A}vana-{T}ientcheu, {M}. {L}. and {L}ekeumo, {V}. {D}. and {A}kitio, {H}. {M}. and {K}hasa, {D}. {P}. and {P}asquet, {R}{\'e}my},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A}erial yam ({D}ioscorea bulbifera {L}.) is a crop of great economic importance and an excellent candidate for improving food security in developing countries. {U}nderstanding the genetic variability of any crop species is a decisive step for its improvement and requires characterization and evaluation of available germplasm. {T}he objectives of this study were to determine the extent of genetic variability, estimate the association between agromorphological traits and clustering among 57 genotypes of aerial yam from three distinct agro-ecological zones in {C}ameroon using multivariate analysis. {T}hirty nine characters (23 qualitative and 16 quantitative) were used for the study. {S}ignificant differences in genetic diversity indices were found. {A}ccessions from the bimodal humid forest zone ({N}a = 2.08, {H}e = 0.27) showed significantly lower diversity compared to both western highland ({N}a = 2.30, {H}e = 0.34) and humid monomodal forest zones ({N}a = 2.57, {H}e = 0.32). {M}eans values of most quantitative traits also showed significant differences between agro-ecological zones. {B}atingla-3 and {B}awouwoua-1 had important bulbil yield, reaching 3500 g / plant. {S}ignificant associations were found between many traits. {T}he use of the {U}nweighted {P}air {G}roup {M}ethod with {A}rithmetic {M}ean allowed the distribution of the 57 genotypes into six distinct clusters with the clustering pattern not showing any parallelism with location sites or agro-ecological zones. {M}ahalanobis {D}-2 statistics revealed the highest inter-cluster distance between cluster {II} and {VI}. {A}ccessions of these clusters are potential parents for future breeding programs. {T}his study showed that aerial yam from {C}ameroon has an enormous wealth of traits variation, indicating huge potential for its genetic improvement through selection and hybridization.},
  keywords = {{A}gro-morphological traits ; {G}enetic characterization ; {G}enetic improvement ; {P}henotype ; {G}enotype ; {C}luster analysis ; {CAMEROUN}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{O}pen {A}griculture},
  volume = {3},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {190--206},
  ISSN = {2391-9531},
  year = {2018},
  DOI = {10.1515/opag-2018-0020},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010074472},
}