S. A. OGEDEGBE

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a vital staple crop in many tropical regions, valued for its carbohydrate-rich tubers and economic importance. Bag propagation, which uses polythene bags filled with soil, has become a viable substitute that improves plant establishment, makes fertilizer management easier, and permits controlled growth conditions. This study evaluated effects of cow dung on bag propagated yams growth and yield performance. A private farm in Ogida, Benin City was the experimental site. Two treatments (control and cow dung) utilized in the experiment were laid out as a paired plot. Cured cow dung manure was applied at planting. Data collected on the number of leaves, vine length, and stem diameter were collected and recorded at intervals whereas tuber weight, vine weight, and number of leaves were collected at harvest and recorded. Data collected were analyzed as unequal variance t-test. Results revealed that cow dung significantly enhanced the vegetative growth of yam plants, particularly during the early and mid-growth stages. Variables such as vine length (p ≤ 0.05) and number of leaves (p ≤ 0.05) showed statistically significant increases compared to the control. The most notable impact was observed in tuber weight, where cow dung application led to a highly significant increase (p ≤ 0.05), with mean tuber weight rising from 0.25kg (control) to 0.7 kg (cow dung) an increase of approximately 180%. In conclusion, cow dung was effective and is a sustainable fertilizer for bag-propagated yam, enhancing growth variables and yield while probably improving soil fertility and structure for long-term agricultural productivity.

This study investigated the germination potential of 21 different seed types stored under hermetic room temperature conditions at the University of Benin, Nigeria for 3 years. Germination trials revealed that only one seed type, snake tomato (Trichosanthes cucumerina), exhibited successful germination at 83.3%.

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a major staple crop in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, where it serves as a vital source of food security, income, and cultural significance. Despite its importance, yam production faces numerous challenges, including declining soil fertility, high labor requirements in traditional mound cultivation, the prohibitive cost of inorganic fertilizers and security challenges across Nigeria. Bag propagation has emerged as an innovative alternative, enabling efficient soil and nutrient management, reduced pest and disease incidence, and suitability for limited land areas. Poultry manure, a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer, offers a sustainable means of enhancing soil fertility for yam production. It improves soil structure, microbial activity, and nutrient availability, thereby promoting vegetative growth and tuber yield. However, limited research exists on its application in bag-propagated yam. This study, therefore, evaluates the effect of poultry manure on the growth and yield of bag-propagated yam, aiming to identify a cost-effective and environmentally friendly practice that enhances productivity and supports sustainable yam cultivation. The experimental site was a private farm in Ogida quarters. The experiment comprised two treatments, each treatment had six (6) replications. At outset, date of planting was recorded. Number of days to sprouting, vine lengths, stem diameter, number of leaves were recorded at subsequent intervals. At harvest, tuber weight and vine weight were recorded. Data collected were analyzed using excel, the two means were compared using t-test method with the probability of 0.05 and unequal variance. Yam grown with poultry manure recorded higher vine length and greater tuber weight at harvest compared to those without manure. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that the application of poultry manure significantly improved the growth and yield of bag propagated yam.