The effects of seed size and spacing on growth and yield of lesser yam (Dioscorea esculenta)

Abstract

SUMMARYThe effects of seed size and spacing on growth, development and yield of lesser yam and the relationship between growth, development and yield in this yam variety were investigated in the 1967 and 1968 growing seasons. Larger seeds outyielded smaller ones both in the total and ware tuber yields. The seed size effect was associated with a difference in tuber number, leaf area duration and bulking rate. Mean tuber weight at harvest, decreased with the decrease in seed size. Total and ware tuber yields increased with the decrease in spacing distance. The spacing effect was associated with differences in leaf area duration and bulking rate per unit area. Final total dry matter produced per plant increased with the increase in both seed size and spacing distance but the dry matter produced per unit area decreased with the increase in spacing distance. Leaf area index and leaf area duration increased with an increase in seed size and decreased with increase in spacing distance. There was a greater positive relationship between total tuber yield and leaf area duration between tuber initiation and the final sampling period than that between it and absolute leaf area duration.