Evaluation of yam varietal response to vine multiplication technique under three growth media.

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November, 2016
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A field trial was conducted at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute (CRI) experimental fields; Fumesua to identify the appropriate soil medium which best conserves soil nutrients and water for rapid growth and multiplication of seed yams. The experiment was a pot experiment, a 4 x 3 factorial design, and treatments were arranged in a Complete Randomized Design with three replications. The treatments consisted of four yam varieties; Mankrong Pona, Dente, Kukrupa and CRI Pona and three different soil media which were: blacksoil, blacksoil (5 parts): carbonized rice husk (3 parts) mixture and blacksoil (5 parts): sawdust (3 parts). This study was designed to evaluate the rooting and tuberization (mini tubers) potentials of vine cuttings of four yam varieties. Vine cuttings from 120 days old plants were collected from the yam varieties for root formation. Two nodes leafy vine cuttings were prepared and planted. The parameters measured were: percentage sprouting, percentage vine establishment, vine length, percentage root formation, mini tuber weight and number of mini tubers. Percentage sprouting in blacksoil/carbonized rice husk was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than all other soil treatments effects and Dente varietal effect was significantly higher than all other varietal effects. Percentage vine establishment was significantly higher in the blacksoil/carbonized rice husk media and higher percentage vine establishment was recorded in Dente variety. The study also revealed that the highest rooting of vines was in blacksoil/carbonized rice husk which was significantly higher than all other treatment effects and the poorest rooting was in blacksoil/sawdust mixture. Among the yam varieties, rooting in Dente was significantly higher than all the other varieties. The greatest number of tubers was in blacksoil/carbonized rice husk, and this was significantly higher than the other media effects. The Dente variety produced also the greatest number of mini tubers as well as tuber weight than all the other varieties. The weight of mini tubers in blacksoil/carbonized rice husk treatment effects was significantly greater than the others. The results indicated that the Dente variety showed the greatest response to the vine multiplication technology and the blacksoil/carbonized rice husk mixture was the most supporting medium.
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A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of MPhil. Agronomy degree.
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