Vine cutting propagation in four varieties of yam (<i>Dioscorea species</i>) using different planting media

Abstract

This study was conducted over a two-year period (two seasons) to assess the potentials of mini tuber production, through vine cutting propagation on four local varieties of yam (Agbagba, Danisa, Shangari and Alata). Three propagation media used were sandy loamy soil, sandy loamy soil with carbonized rice husk (1:7) and sandy loamy soil with carbonized sawdust (1:7). The set up was a 4 by 3 factorial experiment laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replicates consisting of 288 excised vines with 24 vines per variety per treatment per replicate. The data obtained (percentage survival of vines, number of rooted vines, vines with shoots, numbers of roots/vine, vines with tubers, and number of tubers/vine and fresh weight of tuber/vine) were subjected to statistical analysis and their means compared. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed high significant differences (P ≤0.01) in percentage survival, number of rooted vines, number of roots/vine, vines with shoots, vines with tubers, number of tubers and fresh weight of tubers among treatments, varieties, and treatment by varieties in the two seasons of the study. Percentage survival of vines and number of vines with tubers/pot were generally higher in all Dioscorea rotundata (agbagba, danisa and shangari) than in Dioscorea alata in both seasons while rooting of vines and fresh weight of tubers/vine were better in Dioscorea alata. Also, sandy loamy soil proved to be the best medium of propagation followed by sandy loamy soil with carbonized rice husk while sandy loamy soil with carbonized saw dust was the least.

Keywords: Yams, Vine cuttings, Media, Rooting, Tubers