Effect of Seedling Date on Tubers Yield of Dioscorea alata Thunb
Background : study of long yam and short yam (Dioscorea. opposita) are cultivated in temperate regions but tropical yam (Dioscorea alata) are mainly grown in Africa and sub-tropical regions cultivated crops. Recent tropical yam cultivation area of Korea increased but lack the proper cultivation techniques to climate warming. This study was conducted to elucidate the effect of the timely harvest on Tropical yam at 2015 in Institute of Bioresources Research, GBARES. Methods and Results : Tuber of tropical yam were cut as 40 g, and dust-coating sterilized with lime. Seedlings were grown in heating wire installed seed bed from 11. March to 16. May. Experimental field were fertilized 2,000 kg compost, 34 kg N2, 28 kg P2O5, and 28 kg K2O. All amount of compost and P2O5 treated as basal fertilizer. N2 and K2O treated 14 and 10 kg of basal fertilizer, and 20 and 18 kg of additional fertilizer, respectively. Tillage, covering black PE film with 60×25 cm spacing holes on 120 cm row were conducted. Emergence days from 6. April to 18 May until 28 days to 36 days but 15. June and 9. June were each 19 and 7 days. Dry weigh in early stage due to seedling date, while seedling date according from 6. April to 18. May had no difference. seedling date was not effective on total number of tuber but number of marketable tuber (over 200 g). Marketable tuber number of seedling date according to 20. April was increased 35~132% as 4,028 number per 10 a. And tuber with 20. April was 13~73 g heavier. Tuber yield and marketable tuber yield of seedling date as affected by 20. April were respectively 2,518 and 1,273 kg per 10 a compared to 6. April and from 4. May to 15. June as 1,743~2,457 kg and 484~1,027 kg. Conclusion : Tropical yam is low temperature in the cultivation of Korea but also adverse environmental conditions. Frost is not mature enough off before harvesting. Yam had significant increased marketable tuber (over 200 g) yield due to seedling in mid-April Requires cultivation technology.