Effects of Nitrogen Levels on the Plant Growth and Corn Yield of Taro Landraces (Colocasia esculenta Schott) in Acid Soils of Malepatan [printed text] / Adhikary, Bishnu H., Author ; Babu R. Pandey, Author ; Joshi, M., Author . - 2007.
In: IAAS Journal of Plant breeding, 2007, vol (2):12-18.
Languages : English (eng)

Keywords:

Colocasia  esculenta;  taro  landraces;  nitrogen  levels  and  corm  production.

Abstract:

Field experiments were conducted at ARS, Malepatan in acid soils (pH 4.36) during the years 2002 and 2003 to evaluate the effects of nitrogen levels on farmers named taro landraces. Split plot design with 3 replications was employed in the experiment. Five levels of nitrogen (0 kg N, 10 t/ha compost, 50 kg N, 100 kg N plus 10 t compost, 150 kg N/ha) and 6 taro landraces (Hattipau, Khari lamo, Thadomukhe,Seto panchamukhe, Khujure rato and Ratomukhe) were taken into study. P and K were applied basally in all plots at the rate of 50 and 100 kg , respectively. Plant growth and corm production parameters were studied. The results showed that plant growth (plant height, petiole production, leaf size)was not significantly affected by the N-levels; however, increased plant height of 70.2 cm was observed when the crop was fertilized only with 10 t /ha of compost. The crop produced 67.21 cm of plant height when it was fertilized with 50 kg urea-N alone. Mean results showed that increased petiole numbers (26.09) were produced by the Khujure rato taro landrace. The two years mean results indicated that the taro crop when fertilized with 10 t of compost along with 100 kg urea-N produced satisfactorily increased cormels (36.27 cormels /plant).In average, increased corm production (52.49 t/ha0 was obtained when the crop was fertilized with 10 t of compost applied along with 100 kg urea-N. Hattipau landrace of taro was found to be high yielding (49.7 t/ha) than other landraces tested.