L. Oktavianingsih1,2,* E. Suharyanto3 B.S. Daryono4 and Purnomo5
Taro (Colocasia spp.) is an aroid plant which has long been cultivated in Kalimantan. This plant is considered as one of the oldest forms of cultivated plants in the region. Information about its morphological variability is needed to develop taro breeding population as future alternative crop. The aim of this research was to determine the morphological characters variability of taro in Kalimantan, Indonesia based on phenetic analysis approach. Leaf, petiole, stolon and corm samples were collected in all Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan. Similarity index was measured using the gower general similarity coefficient and cluster analysis was carried using the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic average (UPGMA). A dendrogram and principal component analysis (PCA) were constructed using Multivariate Statistical Program v.3.1 software. Around 123 accessions had been collected and evaluated using 39 morphological traits. Taro in Kalimantan consists of C. esculenta, C. affinis, Colocasia sp and Colocasia wild type. C. esculenta is the most widely used as staple food by local residents in Kalimantan. It has two botanical varieties. Fifty two from all the accessions are local cultivars that developed from C. esculenta varieties. Cluster analysis revealed Coefficient Similarity of taro ranging from 0.615 to 0.974, and divided into two major clusters. The first cluster has Colocasia sp as its single subgroup, while the second cluster has six subgroups including C. esculenta, C. affinis and Colocasia wild type. In Kalimantan, taro leaf especially petiole colour has significant influent in taro grouping.
Key words: Colocasia spp, Kalimantan, morphology, phenetic, taro, variability
Key findings: This research provides information about the characteristics of taro that are useful for plant breeding programmes and for developing taro as an alternative crop.