Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. 3 (2026)

Quantitative analysis of genetic variation, trait association and diversity analysis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.12293
Submitted
16 October 2025
Published
02-07-2026 — Updated on 09-07-2026
Versions

Abstract

Due to the diverse uses of potatoes and numerous industrial food products, it is essential to generate information on potato germplasm to increase production.  An experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2022–23 to evaluate genetic variability, correlation, path analysis and genetic diversity in 48 accessions. The accessions exhibited significant variation across all evaluated traits. The high genotypic coefficient of variation, broad-sense heritability and genetic advance were detected for marketable tuber yield per plant, leaves per plant (LP), tubers per plant (TBP) and tuber weight (TW), suggesting the predominance of additive gene action and implying suitability for direct selection. Starch content (SC), total soluble solids (TSS) and harvest index (HI) showed moderate genetic variability with high heritability, indicating potential for improvement through phenotypic selection. The correlation and path analysis identified TBP and TW as major yield-contributing traits due to their strong positive associations and high direct effects on yield. Cluster analysis divides the genotypes into six clusters, suggesting considerable genetic diversity. The highest inter-cluster distance was noted between clusters II and III. Superior genotypes for key traits included K. Nilkanth, P 32, K. Kiran, P 59 and K. Chipsona 4. The results underscore the importance of specific traits and diverse parental combinations for yield and quality improvement in potato breeding programmes.

References

  1. 1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. International Year of the Potato 2008. New light on a hidden treasure [Internet]. Rome: FAO; [cited 2026 May 17]. Available from: https://www.fao.org/4/i0500e/i0500e00.pdf.
  2. 2. Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Handbook of horticulture. New Delhi, India: Indian Council of Agricultural Research; 2011.
  3. 3. Lee KJ, Sebastin R, Cho GT, Yoon M, Lee GA, Hyun DY. Genetic diversity and population structure of potato germplasm in RDA gene bank: Utilization for breeding and conservation. Plants. 2021;10(4):752. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10040752
  4. 4. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). FAOSTAT [Internet]. Rome: FAO; 2023 [cited 2025 Oct 7]. https://www.fao.org/faostat
  5. 5. CMIE. Commodities [Internet]. Mumbai: Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy Pvt. Ltd.; [cited 2026 May 17]. Available from: https://commodities.cmie.com/
  6. 6. Patel AB, Patel RN, Gami RA, Patel JA, Patel PC. Genetic variability among the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes as affected by harvesting period for processing purpose and tuber yield. Curr Agric Res J. 2018;6(3):372–7. https://doi.org/10.12944/CARJ.6.3.16
  7. 7. Almekinders CJM, Struik PC. Shoot development and flowering in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Potato Res. 1996;39:581–607. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02358477
  8. 8. Sharma SP, Sharma D, Dhall RK. Flower induction in potato (Solanum tuberosum) under short day conditions in NW plains of India. Acta Hortic. 2019;1255:91–6. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2019.1255.15
  9. 9. Wright S. Correlation and causation. Indian J Agric Res. 1921;20:557–85.
  10. 10. Wright S. Theory of path coefficients. Genetics. 1923;8(3):239–55. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/8.3.239
  11. 11. Dewey DR, Lu K. A correlation and path-coefficient analysis of components of crested wheatgrass seed production. Agron J. 1959;51(9):515–8. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1959.00021962005100090002x
  12. 12. Falconer DS, Mackay TFC. Introduction to Quantitative Genetics. 4th ed. Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman; 1996.
  13. 13. Allard RW. Principles of Plant Breeding. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1960. 485 p.
  14. 14. Bradshaw JE, Mackay GR. Potato Genetics. Wallingford, UK: CAB International; 1994..https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851988696.0000
  15. 15. Snedecor GW, Cochran WG. Statistical Methods. 6th ed. Ames: The Iowa State University Press; 1967.
  16. 16. Panse VG, Sukhatme PV. Statistical Methods for Agricultural Workers. 2nd ed. New Delhi: Indian Council of Agricultural Research; 1967.
  17. 17. Johnson HW, Robinson HF, Comstock RE. Estimation of genetic and environmental variability in soybeans. Agron J. 1955;47(7):314–8. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1955.00021962004700070009x
  18. 18. Burton GW. Quantitative inheritance in grasses. In: Proceedings of the 6th International Grassland Congress; 1952; 1:277–283.
  19. 19. Hanson WD, Weber CR. Analysis of genetic variability from generations of plant progeny lines in soybeans. Crop Sci. 1962;2(1):63–7. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci1962.0011183X000200010021x
  20. 20. Hazel LN. The genetic basis for construction of selection indices. Genetics. 1943;28(6):476–90. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/28.6.476
  21. 21. Mahalanobis PC. On the generalized distance in statistics. Proc Natl Inst Sci India. 1936;2:49–55.
  22. 22. Rao CR. Advanced statistical methods in biometric research. New York: John Wiley and Sons; 1952.
  23. 23. Pradhan AM, Sarkar KK, Mukherjee S. Important yield contributing characters influencing tuber production in potato. Adv Life Sci. 2016;5(24):11289–94.
  24. 24. Basavaraj N, Naik NR, Naik KS, Gayatri GN. Genetic variability studies in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Potato J. 2013;32(3-4).
  25. 25. Zeleke AA, Abebe TD, Getahun BB. Estimation of genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes for tuber yield and yield related traits. Turk J Agric Food Sci Technol. 2021;9(12):2124–30. https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v9i12.2124-2130.4301
  26. 26. Gowda KH, Amarananjundeswara H, Fakrudin B, Vasudeva KR, Kattegoudar J, Doddabasappa B. Genetic variability, heritability and divergence analysis for growth, yield and nutritional quality parameters in potato (Solanum tuberosum L). Int J Adv Biochem Res. 2025;9(2):633–47. https://doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2025.v9.i2i.3854
  27. 27. Singh S, Dikshit S, Kashyap V, Singh SP, Singh N, Dixit PS, et al. Genetic variability and association studies for yield and its component traits in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Int J Adv Biochem Res. 2024;8(4):105–7. https://doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2024.v8.i4b.928
  28. 28. Kumar R, Prakash S, Singh J, Kumar S, Singh DB, Gautam P, et al. Assessment of genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance for quantitative traits in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Int J Environ Clim Change. 2023;13(12):820–9. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2023/v13i123744
  29. 29. Singh J, Kumar D, Sood S, Bhardwaj V, Kumar R, Kumar S. Genetic variability and association studies for yield and its attributes in cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Veg Sci. 2024;51(1):148–53. https://doi.org/10.61180/vegsci.2024.v51.i1.20
  30. 30. Seid E, Tessema L, Kefale B, Mohammed W, Abebe T. Genetic variability, heritability and correlation in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes for tuber yield and nutritional traits at Holetta, central Ethiopia. Discov Appl Sci. 2025;7:936. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-07611-z
  31. 31. Shetty S, Krishnaprasad BT, Amarananjundeswara H, Shyamalamma S. Genetic variability studies in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes for growth, yield and processing quality traits. Mysore J Agric Sci. 2023;57(1):344–50.
  32. 32. Kamal N, Khanum S, Siddique M, Ahmed MF. Phenotypic correlation coefficient studies to determine interrelationships among grain yield and related characters in maize. Haya Saudi J Life Sci. 2020;5(6):113–16. https://doi.org/10.36348/sjls.2020.v05i06.005
  33. 33. Roy AK, Singh PK. Character association and path analysis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Int J Plant Sci. 2006;1(2):318–9.
  34. 34. Lavanya KS, Srinivasa V, Ali S, Devaraju, Lakshmana D, Kadian MS. Correlation and path analysis for yield and yield-related traits of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Karnataka. Natl Acad Sci Lett. 2020;43:137–140.. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40009-019-00831-z
  35. 35. Raju KP, Soniya K, Tigga A, Uday K, Balraj G, Suresh K, et al. Correlation and path analysis of potato genotypes for morphophysiological traits under Indo-Gangetic plain. Plant Arch. 2025;25(1):2856–60. https://doi.org/10.51470/PLANTARCHIVES.2025.v25.no.1.412
  36. 36. Lamboro A, Petros Y, Andargie M. Correlation and path coefficient analysis between yield and yield components in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Plant Sci Today. 2014;1(4):196–200. https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.2014.1.4.79
  37. 37. Regassa D, Basavaraja N. Correlation and path analysis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Potato J. 2013;32(3-4).
  38. 38. Singh P, Sahu M, Singh G. Association analysis for yield and yield contributing components in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Agric Int. 2015;2(1-2):25–31.
  39. 39. Hajam MA, Bhat TA, Rather AM, Khan SH, Ganie MA, Shafi M. Correlation and path analysis in potato under temperate conditions. J Plant Dev Sci. 2019;11(1):51–5.
  40. 40. Srivastava A, Tigga A, Mourya AK, Kumar A, Srivastava S, Tyagi A, et al. Estimation of correlation and path coefficient analysis for yield and yield associated traits in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under normal condition. Eco Env Conserv. 2024;30(2):623–6. https://doi.org/10.53550/EEC.2024.v30i02.035
  41. 41. Aishwarya KR, Singh D, Pradeep SD, Mehta T, Singh K, Fandan R, et al. Correlation and path coefficient analysis among yield and yield associated traits in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) accessions in the ‘Terai’ region of Uttarakhand. J Sci Res Rep. 2024;30(6):975–83. https://doi.org/10.9734/jsrr/2024/v30i62116
  42. 42. Sa'ad AM, Yahaya SU, Adnan AA, Hussaini MA, Yawale MA. Yield components of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and their relationship with tuber yield. Agric Sci Digest. 2024;44(3):490–4. https://doi.org/10.18805/ag.DF-484
  43. 43. Shubha K, Singh D. Selection of yield-associated morphological and biochemical traits using correlation and path coefficient analysis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the foothills of North-Western Himalayas. Potato Res. 2018;61:273–81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-018-9376-1
  44. 44. Kumar R, Prakash S, Luthra SK, Singh B, Chand P, Kumar V, et al. Analysis of correlation and path coefficient among the yield and yield attributes characters in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Biol Forum . 2022;14(3):916–22.
  45. 45. Datta S, Das R, Singh D. Evaluation of genetic diversity for yield and quality parameters of different potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) germplasm. J Appl Nat Sci. 2015;7(1):235–41. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v7i1.596
  46. 46. Verma A, Singh D. Assessment of genetic diversity and association among agro-morphological characters in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Indian J Agric Res. 2016;50(4):345–9. https://doi.org/10.18805/ijare.v50i4.11254
  47. 47. Prabha N, Nanda HC, Sharma SK. Genetic divergence analysis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Int J Curr Microbiol Appl Sci. 2018;7(2):3152–7. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.702.379
  48. 48. Mallick SR, Quamruzzaman AKM, Hossain MA, Rahman MM, Hoque MA, Islam MR. Diversity of potato varieties in Bangladesh. Eur J Agric Food Sci. 2021;3(3):56–61. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejfood.2021.3.3.281
  49. 49. Kumar V, Rangare NR, Sahu H, Bhariya SK. Genetic diversity and its impact on yield related traits in potato. Int J Res Agron. 2024;7(7):280–5. https://doi.org/10.33545/2618060X.2024.v7.i7d.1036
  50. 50. Kumar G, Prakash S, Singh A, Singh B, Kumar V, Singh R, et al. Genetic diversity analysis at morphological level in genotypes of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Plant Arch. 2025;25(2):551–4. https://doi.org/10.51470/PLANTARCHIVES.2025.v25.no.2.075
  51. 51. Raju KP, Roy A, Tigga A, Balraj G, Govindu M, Maneesha M. Genetic diversity analysis among Solanum tuberosum genotypes of potato under Indo-Gangetic plain. Int J Adv Biochem Res. 2026;SP-10(1S):31–3. https://doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2026.v10.i1Sa.6877

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.