Growth, yield and radiation energy conversion of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) lam.) plant under different stake angles and various mulch type in the Papua highlands

Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain the right type of reflector in sweet potato plant cultivation combined with a stake technique to increase the efficient use of solar radiation energy and plant productivity. The experiment was arranged in a Split Plot Design with three replications. The main plot consisted of Cangkuang variety with 90° stake and Cangkuang variety with 60° stake. The subplots consisted of without mulch, straw mulch, white sand mulch, clear plastic mulch and silver black plastic mulch. The results show that the total dry weight continues to increase but then slows down when the crop growth rate decreases especially at the tuber development phase. The total dry weight at the silver black plastic mulch treatment with a 60° stake angle increased by 70.13% at the age of 70 to 100 days after planting and only increased by 17.50 % at the age of 100 to 130 days after planting. The conversion efficiency of radiation energy increases for all mulch uses as a reflector, especially for 60° stake angles of 32.03% at the highest tuber yields 34.15 t/ha while for 90° stake angles of 27.35% at the highest tuber yields 29.72 t/ha. The highest energy conversion efficiency value was obtained in the combination of black and silver mulch with a 60° stake angle at 2.81%.