Effect of seed corm size and mulching material on growth and yield of elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus campanulatus Blume)

The healthy seed corms of five sizes of elephant foot yam cv Karot Local viz S1: 100 g at spacing of 75 x 15 cm, S2: 200 g at spacing of 75 x 30 cm, S3: 300 g at spacing of 75 x 45 cm, S4: 400 g at spacing of 75 x 60 cm and S5: 500 g at spacing of 75 x 75 cm were planted during three consecutive years from 2004 to 2006 at the experimental farm of Regional Horticultural and Forestry Research Station, Bhota, District Hamirpur, HP in mid May at specified spacings such that with the increase in seed corm size the spacing is also increased in the same proportion so that equal quantity of seed corm weight per unit area is used. The crop was mulched with three types of mulching materials viz M1: Farm Yard Manure (FYM), M2: Dry Leaf and Grass (DLG) and M3: Pine Needles (PNL). These 15 treatment combinations were laid out in a Randomized Block Design with three replications in the plots of size 3.00 x 2.25 m every year. The recommended doses of manures and fertilizers and all agronomic practices were adopted timely for raising a healthy and normal crop. The data on gross corm yield (q/ha), corm yield per plant (g), plant height (cm) and days to maturity were recorded. Significant differences were observed for all the traits studied except days to maturity during all the three years. The maximum gross corm yield (698.3 q/ha) was produced by planting the smallest seed corms of size 100 g at the closest spacing of 75 x 15 cm and mulching the crop with FYM where the corm yield per plant was increased eight times of the seed corm size. However maximum plant height of 112.5 cm and corm yield per plant of 2474.5 g was recorded by planting the largest seed corms of size 500 g at the widest spacing of 75 x 75 cm and mulching the crop with FYM where the corm weight was increased nearly five times of the seed corm size with the same period of maturity.