Multi-Trait Selection Index for Superior Agronomic and Tuber Quality Traits in Bush Yam (Dioscorea praehensilis Benth.)

Dioscorea praehensilis Benth. is a semi-wild yam species and valuable source of resistance trait genes. To access the agronomic tuber quality performance, eleven quantitative phenotypic traits were used to discriminate identify promising accessions among 162 D. collected in Ghana. Significant high genetic variability (p < 0.001) for all was found evaluated accessions. Moderate broad-sense heritability (H2) (30–60%) observed except response YMV hardness. The clustered into three groups; each cluster displayed genotypes with good potentiality different evaluated. Path coefficient analysis revealed positive contributions 0.01) number tubers per plant, length, width, stem internode internodes, flesh hardness total weight plant. Through multi-trait genotype–ideotype distance index (MGIDI), 24 identified from as top-ranking could be progenitors introgression. results this study provide insight future breeding improvement programs West Africa.