© 2024, IJSRBS All Rights Reserved 24 International Journal of Scientific Research in Biological Sciences Vol.11, Issue.6, pp.24-33, December 2024 E-ISSN: 2347-7520 Available online at: www.isroset.org Research Article Phenotypic Characterisation of Selected Cultivars of Manihot esculenta Crantz (Cassava) Otebe J.A. 1* , Jayeola A.A. 2 , Olawuyi O.J. 3 1,23, Dept. of Botany, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria *Corresponding Author: otebejoseph@gmail.com Received: 22/Oct/2024; Accepted: 25/Nov/2024; Published: 31/Dec/2024 Abstract— Various accessions of Manihot esculenta Crantz (cassava) exhibit notable morphological similarities in their stems, leaves, and root systems. The genetic enhancement of cassava relies heavily on the crop's diversity and variability. This study focused on the characterisation of eleven cassava cultivars through morphological methods. The experiment, structured in a complete randomised design each with three replicates, underwent detailed statistical analysis using SAS version 2010. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences in the performance of the cultivars across all traits at p ≤ 0.05. Among the cultivars, Agric (White), Nwator, Allimeme (Brown), and Vitamin A (Brown) demonstrated superior growth characteristics. The trait with the highest heritability was the number of branches per plant, with an estimate of 99.79%, while the number of leaf lobes per plant showed the lowest heritability at 95.04%. At 327.37 and 327.71, respectively, the highest values of the Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV) and Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV) were found for the number of branches per plant. Conversely, the number of leaf lobes per plant accounted for the lowest GCV (9.24) and PCV (9.48). The most significant genetic advance was noted in the number of branches per plant (674.68), whereas the least was in the number of leaf lobes per plant (18.58). Plant height displayed a strong positive correlation with leaf area (r = 0.69) and a moderate positive correlation with stem girth (r = 0.51). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that Prin. 1 accounted for the largest proportion of variance, contributing 32.02% with an eigenvalue of 7.36. Consequently, Agric (White), Nwator, Allimeme (Brown), and Vitamin A (Brown) are promising cassava cultivars that merit documentation, hybridisation and conservation for the improvement of cassava germplasm. Keywords— Genetic variability, Manihot esculenta, Variance components, Heritability, Conservation 1. Introduction Manihot esculenta Crantz, popularly referred to as Cassava, is a shrub belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, one of the largest groups of dicotyledonous plants, primarily propagated through vegetative means using its stem. This plant produces storage roots, which can be harvested between six months to three years post-planting. The Euphorbiaceae family encompasses approximately 334 genera and 8,910 species, predominantly found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide [1-3]. Nigeria stands as one of the world's leading cassava producers, with an annual output exceeding 38.7 million tonnes. Cassava serves various purposes, including food, feed and industrial raw materials [4, 5]. Various cassava accessions exhibit morphological similarities, especially in their stems and leaves [6]. Cassava is not commonly employed in herbal medicine; yet, indigenous tribes utilise it for numerous therapeutic uses. The leaves serve as a styptic, while a mixture of starch and rum is applied to treat skin issues, particularly in children [7]. The leaves are used to treat rheumatism, fever, headaches, diarrhoea, and appetite loss because of its anti-inflammatory, anti-haemorrhoid, analgesic, and antibacterial qualities. [8, 9]. Methanolic extracts of cassava have shown potent anthelmintic activity [10]. Additionally, cassava leaf extract possesses antioxidant properties and nutraceutical potential for addressing malnutrition [11]. Genetic improvement of cassava relies heavily on its genetic diversity. Detecting variability is crucial as it allows for the selection of desirable traits for improvement and potential hybridisation [12]. Heritability represents the proportion of phenotypic variation passed from parent to progeny. Higher heritable variation increases the likelihood of character fixation through selection [13]. In genetically heterogeneous populations, phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation are useful parameters for evaluating the correlations between agronomic traits, facilitating crop improvement progress [14]. Likewise, genetic advance is important as it shows how much a trait has improved from a single selection cycle [15].