Screening of Some Hybrid Lines of Telfaria occidentalis (F. Hook) for Adaptability to the Rain Forest Ecology and Resistance to Telfaria Mosaic Virus (Temv)

The adaptability to the rain forest ecology and resistance to the Telfaria Mosaic Virus (TeMV) of seven (7) hybrid lines and a local cultivar of Telfaria occidentalis were evaluated in Esierebom, Calabar and Uyo in 2014 and 2015 vegetable growing seasons. Hybrid lines of T. occidentalis were screened for resistance to TeMV and adaptability to the rainforest ecology using growth and reproductive performance after inoculation. Data for growth performance was taken fortnightly while data for reproductive performance were taken at maturity. Data generated were collated and analysed for significant (P<0.05) differences at 5% level of probability according to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedures. The results shows that the order of performance and resistance to the virus was EN 2000-19 > EN 2000-6 > EN 2000 – 17 > EN 2000- 9 > EN 2000-1 > EN 2000-24 >EN 2000-X > ‘Edem Ubong’. The results reveal significant (P<0.05) differences among hybrids lines and local cultivar for number of primary branches per plant. Biomass weight (kg), vine length (m) and Leaf area (cm²) also differed (p<0.05) significantly among the hybrid lines and local cultivar. Results showed that the lines EN 2000-19, EN 2000-17 and EN 2000-6 were highly adapted to the rainforest ecology with significant (P<0.05) higher differences in lengths of vines, leaf area, number of branches per plant and number of leaves per plant. EN 2000-24, ‘Edem Ubong’, EN 2000-x and EN 2000-1 all showed least adaptability with significant (P<0.05) low differences in vine lengths, number of primary and secondary branches per plant, number of leaves per plant and leaf area. Results of lines resistance to TeMV showed that the cultivars, EN 2000-1, ‘Edem Ubong’, EN 2000-X and EN 2000-24 were highly susceptible to the virus with resultant low growth and reproductive performance while the lines EN 2000-19, EN 2000-17 and EN 2000-9 showed high resistance to the virus through high growth and reproductive performance. Adaptable and highly resistance lines of T. occidentalis can be harness for the purpose of increasing the yield of the vegetable in this agro-ecology using marker assisted selection for maintaining stability of hybrid lines after segregation in subsequent generations.