How Do You Multiply Yams?

Propagating Yams in Three Steps

1. Step 1: Divide the Yam. To propagate yams from minisetts, get a fresh yam and cut it into pieces while ensuring you have a good piece of skin on each one from which the new growth will emerge.
2. Step 2: Dip the Pieces in Ashes.
3. Step 3: Plant Your Yams.

Can you grow yams from a yam?

Yams aren’t grown from seeds like most other vegetables – they grow from slips, which are derived from the sprouts of adult yams. To grow sprouts, cut a yam in half and submerge one portion in a glass of cool water.

How does a yam plant reproduce?

Wild yams that have been successfully pollinated will grow triangular, three-sided fruits as seen in the picture to the right. Late in the fall the fruits open up and release the winged-seeds that are dispersed by the wind. The seed then remains in the ground until the next spring when it can restart the process.

What part of yam do you plant?

Planting is done by seed yam or cut setts from ware tubers. One day before planting, the tubers have to be subjected to treatment with wood ash or a fungicide (thiabendazole) to prevent damage to the soils. The setts are planted at an interval of 15–20 centimetres (5.9–7.9 in) with the cut face facing up.

How many days does it take yam to sprout?

Allow a minimum of six weeks for the yam to sprout a vine. Place the yam in a larger jar if it grows too large for the starter jar.

Can yam stem be planted?

Farmers can plant their yam as soon as the rain stabilises. But some people plant theirs during the dry season – that is between January and March. However, the farmer who is planting at such period should be conscious of the sun; because the temperature would be high.

Which part of yam is used for propagation?

tuber
Traditionally, ‘seed’ yams or setts (tuber portions) are used for propagation. The yam tuber, which contains a deposit of starch, does not have dormant buds as found on a typical tuber such as potato (Solanum tuberosum).

Can yam be propagated by stem?

Stem collection is done 3-5 months after planting the yam into the field, when the main stems have grown lateral branches. It is best to use lateral branches (side shoots) so as not to disturb the growth of the main plant. Select side shoots with more than 3 nodes.

What is the spacing for yam?

The normally recommended spacing of yams for commercial yam production is 1 m × 1 m between rows and stands, respectively (10,000 stands/ha). Use narrower spacing (1 m × 0.25 m) for smaller sets (e.g., 30 g).

How deep do you plant yams?

Plant the tubers about 10 cm deep and backfill with potting mix. Position the pots in full sun. Water in well.

What can cause a poor harvest of yams?

Aphids spread this virus, so keep them under control. Otherwise, you can lose up to 50 percent of your yam harvest. Another problem is dry rot disease. This disease is caused by a nematode.

How many sweet potatoes do you get from one sweet potato plant?

Typically, you’ll be able to harvest 3-5 tubers per sweet potato plant, which is about 1-2 pounds. But if you live in a warmer climate, you may harvest six or more tubers per plant.

Is yam a perennial crop?

Yams (Dioscorea spp.) are annual or perennial vines and climbers with annual or perennial underground tubers. They belong to the Dioscoreaceae family. This tuber-producing plant is popular in the humid and subhumid tropics, particularly in Africa, the West Indies and parts of Asia and South and Central America.

What month do you plant yams?

Yam is best planted between February and March in mounds or ridges by planting seed yams (pieces of tubers or completely small ones) preserved for the new planting season. However, in some localities especially in riverine areas, land preparation, clearing and burning of grasses, heaping and ridging are done earlier.

What type of fertilizer is good for yam?

Fertilizer application is by banding. For low fertility classed soils, 400-500 kg/ha of inorganic NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer is regarded as adequate for optimum yield of yam.

Are yam leaves edible?

Yam leaves have a similar texture and flavor to spinach and can be prepared similarly, used raw in salads, finely chopped and mixed into grain bowls, blended into smoothies, or juiced and mixed with fruit juices as a green drink.

What is the common pest of yam?

Some of the most common pests associated with yams are nematodes (including root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and lesion nematodes (Scutellonema bradys, Pratylenchus spp.), viruses and insects (yam tuber beetle, scale insects and termites) (Coyne, 2015).

Can yam be planted in July?

Preparation Of The Land
Properly clear the bush and burn the grasses with fire at the appropriate time. Yam is best planted within the months of February and April when the rainy season is just beginning. These are the best periods for land preparation.

Is chicken manure good for yam?

The application of poultry manure to soils with low fertility status enhanced favourable yield and growth characteristics of white yam, which could be due to their rich nutrient composition. Therefore, poultry manure as an organic fertilizer is a better enhancer of soil thereby improving crop growth and yield.

How do you prepare yams for planting?

Fill a third of the pot with potting mix, pop in the yam, then top up with soil. Transplant them into the garden (they transplant happily), in November after risk of frost has passed. Don’t go nuts on foliage producing fertiliser. Good compost worked into free-draining soil is all you need.

Do yams need a lot of water?

How much water are yams required to grow? Yams may grow in dry soil once they’ve been planted. It’s good and ideal to keep it uniformly moist by watering it once a week with 1 inch of water. To prevent the mature tubers from splitting, don’t water your yams in the final three to four weeks before harvest.