Genetic Variability and Heritability of Ten Exotic Sugar Cane Genotypes at Wonji Sugar Estate of Ethiopia

Ten sugarcane varieties introduced from Cuba and designated by C86-12, C90-501, C86-165, C132-81, C120-78, C1051-73, B78-505, B80-250, SP70-1284, and C86-56 were evaluated along with standard check NCO334 at Wonji sugarcane plantation. The trial was laid out in completely randomized block design with four replications. Data were collected from the four central rows of each plot for number of internodes, cane height, cane diameter, millable cane, cane yield, sucrose percent cane and sugar yield. The results indicated that High GCV were recorded for Millable cane (19.33), Cane Yield (26.69) and Sugar Yield (29.93) while; number of inter node (2.02), cane diameter (2.09) and sucrose % (3.71) resulted low GCV. High phenotypic coefficients of variation were also recorded for sugar yield (32.26), cane yield (30.82), millable cane (21.42) but moderate phenotypic coefficients of variation were recorded for cane height (12.01). High GCV and PCV indicated that selection may be effective based on these characters and their phenotypic expression would be good indication of the genotypic potential. Genotypic coefficient of variation alone is not a correct measure to know the heritable variation present and should be considered together with heritability estimates. High heritability were recorded for characters such as sugar yield (86.09), cane yield (75.02) and millable cane (81.51) low heritability for No of internodes (28.02) and Can diameter (12.01) while moderate heritability were recorded for cane height (36.89) and sucrose % (55.67).