The effect of type of mother yam and botanical extracts on the performance of the yam minisett
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Date
2009
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Abstract
The objective of the study was to investigate various modifications of the minisett techniques including the type of mother yam used, age of mother yam and the effect of leaf extracts of Croton aromaticus and Averrhoea bilimbii on the sprouting of minisetts from the two rotundata yam varieties.
In experiment 1, 5% leaf extracts from Croton aromaticus and Averrhoea bilimbii was used to treat minisetts from the anterior, middle and posterior portions of Pona and Laribako. The minisetts were nursed in baskets and on seed bed and were observed for sprouting and rot for six weeks.
In a second experiment, different ages of Pona and laribako white yams (ware, milked and regenerated mother yams) were compared with water yam in terms of sprouting capabilities. All the different varieties with the different ages were cut into setts between 80gm - 100gm, treated with insecticide,fungicide and woodash. Air dried overnight, nursed in the seed boxes and watered as and when needed. Data on sprouts or rots were recorded every two weeks.
Results from the experiment1 showed that Croton aromaticus and Averrhoa bilimbii leaf extracts influenced sprouting in a varied pattern for the different parts of the varieties used. Sprouting had significant increase, insignificant difference or no response due to rot.
In experiment 2, Milked and regenerated mother yams gave higher sprouts than ware mother yams. The regenerated yam compared favourably with the control, D. alata in terms of their sprouting ability. Younger regenerated and milked yams had more buds concentrated on the head, middle and tail regions in that descending order as against the ware yam. In terms of variety there were differences in terms of bud count and sprouting. Laribako and D. alata had the highest number of buds and sprouts more and early than pona.
Finally, a partial budget analysis of the improved minisett technology compared to the farmers’ practice showed that, improved minisett technique was more profitable.
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A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of MSc. Agronomy (Plant Breeding option) degree