Comparative Yield of Planting on Heap and Ridge of Four Yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir) mini setts Landraces

Abstract

Nigeria is the world largest yam producer with 68 percent of global production. A multi-location field experiment was conducted from May to November  2013 and 2014 rainy seasons at the Teaching and Research Farm of Federal University of Technology, Gidan Kwano, Minna and at Kuta, Shiroro Local Government Area in Niger State Nigeria, to assess the influence of seed bed type and yam landraces on mini sett growth and yield. The experiments were carried out in a 2x4x3 factorial combination in a randomized complete block design planted to 4 yam landraces “ Kwasi, Laushi, Sule and Lagos. The results obtained showed that heap method of planting significantly produced superior number of sprouts than the ridge at both locations in 2013 but was not in 2014. Laushi was significantly the least the landraces in the number of sprouts at Gidan Kwano in 2013 while others were not. Heap method significantly resulted to the highest vine length Gidan Kwano and Kuta in 2013 and 2014 respectively though it was reversal at Kuta in 2013. Heap method had a significant of number of leaves, than others at both locations. While Laushi had the best number of leaves at Kuta in 2013, Kwasi topped the list at Gidan Kwano significantly in 2014. The ridge method significantly produced superior number of seed yam at Gidan Kwano in 2013 and Kwasi significantly had the least number of seed yam. Heap method significantly produced the highest number of ware yam at both locations in 2013 and so too at Gidan Kwano in 2014. Heap method of planting resulted to the highest total tuber number. Heap method significantly produced the highest total number of tubers at Gidan Kwano in 2013 and 2014 compared to the ridge method. The study points to heaps as an important option for tuber sprouting and the use of ridges for seed yam production in 2013 and so too for the combined data in 2014 while the use of heap is a strong tool in the production of ware yam.