Authors: A.O. Eruola, N.J. Bello, F.O. Olasantan and A.A. Makinde
Libyan Agriculture Research Center Journal International 2 (6):
Abstract:
A field experiments were conducted to study the effect of planting date and mulching on emergence, growth and yield of white yam during the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 cropping seasons in Abeokuta, Southwestern Nigeria. The general model for selecting the planting date of yam in the two experimental years was 0.1PE <P < 0.5PE. This was partitioned for the purpose of attaining optimal planting date into early and late, respectively as E(P-0.1PE) # 0 designated as T and E(P-0.5PE) # 0 as T . For the rest of the season
defined by 1 2 P> PE, the physiological parameters and hydrothermal agro-climatic indices measured during the different phenological stages of yam grown were analyzed with respect to the various treatments. The result showed that model T defined as E(P-0.1PE) # 10mm appeared as the best model that significantly (P < 0.05) influenced 1 emergence rate, phenological growth and tuber yield. Irrespective of mulching materials, it was found that mulching significantly (P<0.05) increased tuber yield by about 6-8 t haG1 seasonG1 than the unmulched. Furthermore, grass mulch had tuber yield of about 4-6 t haG1 seasonG1 greater than the polythene mulch and
the unmulched plots.