ISHS Acta Horticulturae 153: IX African Symposium on Horticultural Crops
LIGHT INTERCEPTION, UTILISATION AND CONVERSION EFFICIENCIES AND YIELD PERFORMANCE OF SWEET POTATO, IPOMOEA BATATAS, GROWN FROM IBA-TREATED BASAL AND UNTREATED TERMINAL VINE CUTTINGS |
| Author: | M.D.S. Nzima |
| Abstract:
Sweet potatoes grown from IBA-treated basal vines produced a significantly higher total yield of 28.99 t ha-1 and marketable tubers 23.54 t ha-1, than those grown from untreated terminal vine cuttings which produced 22.43 and 17.46 t ha-1 of total and marketable tubers respectively. Field measurements indicated that IBA-treated basal vine plants were significantly less efficient in light interception, yet this treatment produced a higher proportion (31.20%) of large tubers, compared with untreated terminal vine plants (14.64%). Untreated terminal vine plants intercepted 95% of the incident solar radiation three weeks earlier than IBA-treated basal vine plants. However, the treatment increased the efficiency of converting light energy to chemical energy (Ec%) and of utilising this chemical energy to produce plant dry matter (Eu%) through an increased 'sink' demand. The practical implications of the results and future research are outlined. | |
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