EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT PORTIONS AND LENGTH OF STORAGE OF CUTTINGS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF SWEET POTATO

Abstract

Storing cuttings of BNAS-51 variety of sweet potato for 15 days caused significant decrease in leaf area index (LAI) during the first two months after planting. However, there were no significant variations in LAI and fresh herbage at harvest. Generally, plants that originated from the unstored cuttings produced significantly higher marketable tubers, total yield and harvest index compared to those which developed from stored cuttings. Yield of non-marketable tubers was not significantly affected. As far as source of cutting is concerned, plants that developed from un-stored apical cuttings produced significantly higher LAI, marketable tuber, and total yield compared to middle and basal cuttings, except in weight of fresh herbage. Nevertheless, plants from stored apical, middle and basal cuttings assumed similar LAI during the entire growth of the crop and produced the same yield and yield components.