Yield response of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam) to soil solarization and nutrient management under micro-fertigation technique

Abstract

Sweet potato production is affected with different problems related to incidence of insect pests and diseases, and erratic climatic conditions which hamper the production by 41.33 to 42.22 percent, respectively. Thus, this study which was conducted aimed to determine the effects of soil solarization and micro-fertigation technique on the yield performance of sweet potato; determine the effect of nutrient management under micro-fertigation technique and evaluate the profitability of sweet potato production as influenced by soil solarization and micro-fertigation technique. This was laid out in split plot arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) adopting three replications with two mainplots and four subplots. The main plot was designated as M1 – with solarization and M2 – without solarization while subplot treatments were designated as follows: S0 – no fertilizer application (control); S1 – conventional application of inorganic fertilizer; S2 – application of inorganic fertilizer through micro-fertigation and S3 - application of Aloe vera bio-organic liquid fertilizer through micro-fertigation. Soil solarization controlled weed population and produced higher total root yield of sweet poptato. Adoption of micro-fertigation technique increased root yield and produced larger and less-damaged roots. Morever, the application of aloe vera as bio-organic fertilizer enhanced higher root productivity and contributed lesser reduction of root yield caused by pests and diseases. Thereby, soil solarization with aloe vera application under micro-fertigation technique was the best option for sweet potato production to enhance root productivity, income and protection of plants from pest and disease damage especially in areas with unstable climatic conditions.