Variation and Intraspecies Classification of Edible Canna (Canna indica L.) Based on Morphological Characters

Edible canna (Canna indica L.) is herbaceous plant originated from South America, which its rhizome commonly used and its utilisation not optimise in Indonesia. Morphological evaluation and characterization are needed to determine characters of Canna indica for genetic variability to improve edible canna varieties. For that reason, the purpose of this research is to determine diversity and phenetic relationship of Canna indica based on morphological characters. Samples were collected from Indonesian Center for Agricultural Biotechnology Research and Development (BB-Biogen). Morphological characters data was analyzed by description to construct identification key. Similarity index was counted by Gower General Similarity Coefficient formula based on morphological scoring. Cluster analysis was conducted by UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Methods using Arithmetic averages) method to create a dendogram. PCA (Principal component analysis) were also performed to defined role of each morphological character in grouping of accessions with MVSP (Multivariate Statistical Program) v.3.1 software. The dendogram showed that 66 accesions of Canna indica from nine provinces in Indonesia divided into two main cluster. There were the green and red cultivar group with 67 % similarity and the green cultivar group also divided into green and green purple based on colour of sheats, tip of bud, rachis inflorescence, petals, brachtea and colour pattern of staminodia with 85 % similarity. Red cultivar divided into red and red purplish based on colour of sheats, rachis inflorescence and petals with similarity index 87 %.