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Optimum Yam Sett Weight and Poultry Manure Rate for Ware Yam Production In Mixtures


CI Duruigbo
II Ibeawuchi
JC Obiefuna

Abstract

One of the major constraints in ware-yam production under yam/maize/cassava intercrop is the appropriate sett size and manurial needs required to produce them in mixtures. This research work was carried out at the Federal University of Technology Teaching and Research Farm Owerri in Southeastern Nigeria. The experiment was carried out using a 3 x 4 factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The treatments consist of three yam sett weights (250, 500 and 750g) and manured with four poultry manure rates (0, 5, 10 and 15tons/ha) respectively. Yams (10,000 plants/ha) and maize (20,000 plants/ha) were planted simultaneously on flats while cassava TMS 4(2) 1425 (10,000 plants/ha) was introduced 8 weeks after planting yam and maize. Data on various growth and yield parameters for yam, maize and cassava were collected and analyzed using the General linear model procedure of statistical analysis system (SAS). Mean separation was done using least significant differences at 50% level of significance. The pre-planting soil fertility was very low. The poultry manure rate of 15 tons/ha and yam sett weight of 750g significantly (P=0.0001) gave the highest percentage (23.73%) ware yams, which also gave the highest dry grain maize yield of 1.95 tons/ha and highest fresh cassava tuber yield of 21.71 tons/ha and is hereby recommended.


Keywords: Yam Sett weight, poultry manure ware-yam, yam/maize/cassava inter crop.


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print ISSN: 0300-368X