Agro-morphological, nutritional variability and heritability studies of Lagenaria siceraria landraces in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorNtuli, N.R.
dc.contributor.authorButhelezi, Lungelo Given
dc.date.accessioned2019-07-18T07:52:28Z
dc.date.available2019-07-18T07:52:28Z
dc.date.issued2019
dc.descriptionA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Science in the Department of Botany, Faculty of Agriculture and Science at the University of Zululand, 2019.en_US
dc.description.abstractLagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standley of the Cucurbitaceae family is one of many underutilised ancient cultigens with great economic potential. Its nutritious tender shoots, flowers, fruits, and seeds are of culinary use and widely consumed in rural communities as a vegetable relish. It has abundant nutrients and minerals essential for human health. However, research on morphological and nutritional variation among L. siceraria landraces from South Africa is very marginal. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterise variability in growth, yield and nutritional composition among L. siceraria landraces from northern KwaZulu-Natal. L. siceraria landraces with various fruit and seed morphology, collected from different agro-ecological areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal were grown in a randomised complete block design with three replications over two summer seasons. Seedling, vegetative and reproductive traits were compared among landraces, while pulp of the mature fruit was analysed for nutrient composition. Analysis of variance, correlation, principal component analysis, cluster analysis and heritability estimates were conducted on morphological traits and nutrient content. Landraces with different fruit and seed morphology, from different areas varied significantly in seedling, vegetative and reproductive traits as well as nutrient content. Significant positive correlations were mainly recorded among reproductive traits and also among the majority of nutrients. The first five and three informative principal components were responsible for 74.393% and 80.270% of the total variability in morphological traits and nutrient composition, respectively. First components (PC1) with 26.635% and 42.076% variability were positively associated with most of morphological traits and nutrients, respectively. In morphological trait and nutrient analyses, biplot and dendrogram grouped landraces mainly according to fruit and seed morphology and then their origin. High heritability estimates were recorded among fruit and seed traits as well as among various nutrients. Therefore, this study can be the foundation for strategic improvement, direct production or conservation of the Lagenaria siceraria using these landraces.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipUniversity of Zululand postgraduate Bursary; Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheriesen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10530/1765
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Zululanden_US
dc.subjectHeritability studiesen_US
dc.subjectLagenaria siceraria landracesen_US
dc.subjectAgro-morphologicalen_US
dc.subjectnutritional variabilityen_US
dc.titleAgro-morphological, nutritional variability and heritability studies of Lagenaria siceraria landraces in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africaen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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