Comparative Assessment of Yield Performance of Neglected Cocoyam (Colocasia esculeta (L.) Schott) Parts as Planting Materials in the South Western Nigeria

Ogunkunle Tajudeen,Gidado R S M,Adenika O F Aruleba R D,Oshagbemi H O

doi:10.32861/ajls.55.32.37

Abstract

Hitherto, there is scarcity of information on the usefulness of neglected small corms and cormels of cocoyam in the South West Nigeria. A 9 (nine) months trial was conducted to compare the growth and yield performance of different types of cocoyam planting materials with treatment consisting of T1; sprouted small cocoyam cormels, T2, trimmed out lower parts of harvested cocoyam corm and T3; moderate sized corm of 50-100g (control) arranged in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. Data on the number of leaves and plant height was taking at 4 week interval for 24 weeks while data on number and weight of harvested cormels was taking at 9 months after planting (MAP). The data collected were subjected to a univariate General Linear Model (GLM) two ways Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using IBM SPSS software statistical package 21. Significance mean differences were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that the highest mean number of leaves and plant height was obtained from treatment T1 (10.22) and T2 (92.83) respectively at 24 weeks after planting (WAP). While both treatment T1 and T3 collectively had the highest number of consumable cormels (54.0) in which treatment T3 weighed the highest (3.202 kg). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in both the number of leaves produced and plant height among the different cocoyam planting materials utilised at 24 (WAP). Similarly, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the number and weight of cormels produced by the different treatments at 9 months after planting (MAP). The study therefore concluded that both sprouted small cocoyam cormels, trimmed out corms during planting compared favourably with moderate sized corm of weight 50-100g commonly used as planting material in term of yield potential and therefore recommended to be schedule for demonstration to cocoyam farmers in the study area for adoption.

Highlights

Red Cocoyam (Colocasia esculeta (L.) Schott) is a perennial root crop that belongs to Araceace family
The highest number of leaves 3.055 was recorded for treatment T1 at 4 weeks after planting (WAP), 5.780 for treatment T3 at 8 (WAP), 8.942 for treatment T1 at 12 (WAP) and 11.83 for treatment T1 at 16 (WAP)
This implies that treatment T1 and T2 compete favourably with treatment T3 in term of number of leaves produced for photosynthetic activities which may have resultantly culminated into greater cocoyam cormels yield by the treatments

Summary

Introduction

Red Cocoyam (Colocasia esculeta (L.) Schott) is a perennial root crop that belongs to Araceace family. It is widely grown in the tropic including Nigeria specificallally in the South South, South East and South Western parts. Cocoyams are the cheapest, good and moderate source of carbohydrate in meals Base on these characteristic feature, it is usually recommended for aged people, diabetics, convalescents and patient with gastrointestinal disorder. It has a good carbohydrate base for infant foods on the account of their small-sized starch grains which are digested compared to yam Adekiya and Agbede [3]. Vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and significant amount of dietary fiber [4]

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Conclusion