Phenotypic diversity of growth, leaf and yield-related traits in cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.): implications for the development of a cashew breeding program in Senegal
摘要
Cashew nuts represent an essential commodity for international trade and source of income in Senegal. However, despite its importance, little information exists about cashew genepool in Senegal and actions for implementing an effective breeding program are still limited. This study aims to assess the phenotypic diversity of 45 individuals identified as high yielding trees by farmers in eight villages in Fatick region. We assessed growth parameters, counted the number of male and hermaphrodite flowers and calculated the ratio for each tree. Nut production was assessed over two consecutive years and nut dimensions, weight and average nut count per kilo were measured. The analyses of variance showed significant differences among villages for most of the studied traits and the Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) revealed that nut dimensions and size, nut production, and growth traits accounted for most of the variation. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) method validated the pattern from the PCoA analysis and identified three distinct clusters. The top five high yielding trees came from Keur Aliou Gueye (A647 (50.84 kg tree−1), A643 (44.47 kg tree−1), A646 (22.77 kg tree−1), A645 (17.32 kg tree−1)) and Touba Barya villages (A581 (31.13 kg tree−1)). In contrast, individuals from the village of Keur Babou Diouf recorded the highest nut performance in terms of average nut count per kg (86), nut weight (11.37 g), length (40 mm), and width (25 mm). These findings highlight the potential of the cashew gene pool in Senegal and establish a foundation for genetic improvement programs aimed at high-yield and high-quality nut production.