PROPAGATED YAM

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.