Yam Production In Agriculture

Botanical name: Dioscorea species

TYPES OF YAM

1.   White yam (Dioscorea rotundata)

2.   Water yam (Dioscorea alata)

3.   Yellow yam (Dioscorea cayenensis)

4.   Trifoliate yam (Dioscorea dumentorum)

5.   Aerial yam (Dioscorea bulbifera)

6.   Chinese yam (Dioscorea exculenta)

CLIMATIC AND SOIL REQUIREMENT

Rainfall: 1000 – 1150mm evenly distributed throughout the year

Temperature: 25⁰c to 30⁰c

Soil requirement: A well drained, deep fertile loamy or clay soil.

Land Preparation: Clearing, ploughing, harrowing and ridging . Yam can be planted on flat ground e.g. Edo and Delta State.

Planting Date:

Early yam: October, December

Late yam: March-April

Planting Materials

Seed yam which is planted whole or cut into smaller pieces which is called sett

Spacing: 1m within role or 1m by 1m

Seed rate: 1 sett per hole

Depth of planting: 10cm below soil surface

Sett orientation: the sett should be placed in slanting form

Mulching: mulching is necessary to conserve moisture/water during the dry season. Mulching is carried out around November to March.

Staking: Is the provision of sticks for yam stems to climb

Weeding: Removal of weeds. Weeding should be carried out twice during the production period. Weeding is done manually by uprooting with hand. It is also done mechanically by the use of implements. Weeding can be done chemically by the use of chemicals e.g. herbicides.

Fertilizer application: yam requires N:P:K fertilizer. Application of fertilizer can be carried out after germination or sprouting and this can be done during the production period.

Harvesting

Maturity Period: Yam matures 8-12 months after planting. Harvesting is done by digging up the tuber from the soil by cutlass.

Farm Level Processing:

1.   Peeling and sun drying

Storage: Yam tubers can only be stored in barns. It can also be stored under ground

DISEASES OF YAM

1.   Yam mosaic (viral disease)

Yam rot (fungi disease)

PESTS OF YAM

1.   Grasshopper (zonocerus) varigatus)

Yam beetle

Rodents

Birds

USES OF YAM

1.   For human consumption

For feeding animals

For ceremonial purposes

Starch can be extracted from yam