CROP DEVELOPMENT AND ROOT DISTRIBUTION IN LESSER YAM (<i>DIOSCOREA ESCULENTA</i>): IMPLICATIONS FOR FERTILIZATION

Melteras, Marie-Vianney; Lebot, Vincent; Asher, C. J.; O’Sullivan, Jane

doi:10.1017/s0014479708006339

Cited by 16 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Finally, it is worth noting that unfertilized plants had not taken up any of the 15 N added in the nearby fertilized plot. This suggests that the maximum length of the roots of our cultivar of D. alata was <3 m and therefore smaller than the maximum root length reported by O'Sullivan (2008) and Melteras et al (2008), who observed roots of D. alata and D. esculenta foraging at 4 m and more from the plant while their yams had been planted in 15‐ and 50‐cm mounds, respectively.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 71%

Nitrogen Use by Yam as Affected by Mineral Fertilizer Application

et al. 2012

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Soil fertility decline and high N demand during plant growth are cited as main causes of low yield in yam (Dioscorea spp.). As information regarding fertilizer N use in yam is lacking, a field experiment was undertaken in 2006 and repeated in 2007 in central Côte d'Ivoire using 15N (15NH415NO3) labeled fertilizers to monitor N uptake and fertilizer use efficiency in D. alata. The 15N‐labeled fertilizer was added in two splits (at 90 and 130 d after planting) for a target tuber yield of 40 Mg fresh tuber ha−1. The application of mineral fertilizers increased total biomass production and tuber yield as well as N uptake from native soil organic matter. The recovery of 15N‐labeled fertilizer applied at 90 and 130 d after planting was not significantly different but the year affected 15N recovery by the plant. The maximum 15N recoveries calculated from the sum of the 15N recovery measured at both application dates were 46 and 23% in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Leaf dry matter and leaf N uptake were higher in 2006 than in 2007, but tuber dry matter was not different between years at the final harvest. Up to 170 kg N ha−1 was returned to the soil through the fallen shoots, indicating an important recycling of N for soil fertility replenishment. Thus, crop succession or intercropping are encouraged in a yam cropping system. Our results also show that the application of mineral fertilizers had a strong “priming effect” on the native soil N in both years.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 71%

Nitrogen Use by Yam as Affected by Mineral Fertilizer Application

et al. 2012

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“…The maximum RLD of 0.26 cm cm (3 observed in D. rotundata was smaller than the maximum RLD of 11.3 and 1.5 cm cm (3 , reported for potatoes (Ahmadi et al 2011) and cassava (Lose et al 2003), respectively. The root spatial distribution pattern observed in this study showed that D. rotundata is also a shallow-rooting species, similar to D. esculenta (Melteras et al 2008), D. alata (Hgaza et al 2011), cassava (Lose et al 2003) and potatoes Groenwold 1986, Ahmadi et al 2011).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 62%

Root distribution patterns of white yam (Dioscorea rotundataPoir.): a field study

Hgaza

Diby

Herrera³

et al. 2012

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B – Soil & Plant Sc

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The productivity of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir) must increase to sustainably meet the demand of the increasing populations in the developing world where this is a staple crop. Although this could be achieved through the use of mineral fertilizers, reports indicate limited effects of these inputs on tuber yield. We hypothesized (i) that D. rotundata has a small and shallow root system and (ii) that this root system does not respond to mineral fertilizer application. Two field experiments were conducted in Cô te d'Ivoire in year 1 and in year 2 to test these hypotheses. In the first field experiment we measured biomass production, as well as root density during plant growth in fertilized and unfertilized plots while in the second experiment, we analysed the distribution pattern of roots in horizontal and vertical root profiles in fertilized plots. The root system of D. rotundata consisted of seminal, adventitious and tubercular roots. Only the adventitious roots remained alive until the end of the growth cycle. The root length density was very low with a maximum of 0.25 cm cm (3 . No roots were observed in the 15Á30 cm horizon at 50 cm from the plant's crown. The horizontal and vertical root maps revealed that roots were mostly distributed in clumps, and there was a good correlation between the two methods of root sampling for this species. Fertilizer application had no significant effect on plant biomass, fresh tuber yield or on root growth. However, thinner and longer roots and higher tuber yields were observed in year 1 than in year 2. The different weather conditions and more specifically the higher soil temperature might explain the results obtained in year 1. Therefore, it could be recommended to farmers not to fertilize D. rotundata.

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“…Only one reference was found for yams, the second most important root crop in Sub-Saharan Africa 1 , which described two distinct well-organized root systems: the seminal root system and the adventitious, more definitive root system (Charles-Dominique et al, 2009). Other studies in yam only focused on root morphology at crop harvest stage in response to fertilization (Melteras et al, 2008; O’Sullivan, 2008; Hgaza et al, 2012). Iwama et al (1977) specifically analyzed root systems and the relationship between root systems and tuber yield in potato (Iwama et al, 1981).…”

Section: Root System Architecture In Root and Tuber Cropsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Root System Architecture and Abiotic Stress Tolerance: Current Knowledge in Root and Tuber Crops

2016

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The challenge to produce more food for a rising global population on diminishing agricultural land is complicated by the effects of climate change on agricultural productivity. Although great progress has been made in crop improvement, so far most efforts have targeted above-ground traits. Roots are essential for plant adaptation and productivity, but are less studied due to the difficulty of observing them during the plant life cycle. Root system architecture (RSA), made up of structural features like root length, spread, number, and length of lateral roots, among others, exhibits great plasticity in response to environmental changes, and could be critical to developing crops with more efficient roots. Much of the research on root traits has thus far focused on the most common cereal crops and model plants. As cereal yields have reached their yield potential in some regions, understanding their root system may help overcome these plateaus. However, root and tuber crops (RTCs) such as potato, sweetpotato, cassava, and yam may hold more potential for providing food security in the future, and knowledge of their root system additionally focuses directly on the edible portion. Root-trait modeling for multiple stress scenarios, together with high-throughput phenotyping and genotyping techniques, robust databases, and data analytical pipelines, may provide a valuable base for a truly inclusive ‘green revolution.’ In the current review, we discuss RSA with special reference to RTCs, and how knowledge on genetics of RSA can be manipulated to improve their tolerance to abiotic stresses.

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CROP DEVELOPMENT AND ROOT DISTRIBUTION IN LESSER YAM (DIOSCOREA ESCULENTA): IMPLICATIONS FOR FERTILIZATION

Cited by 16 publications

References 18 publications

Nitrogen Use by Yam as Affected by Mineral Fertilizer Application

Nitrogen Use by Yam as Affected by Mineral Fertilizer Application

Root distribution patterns of white yam (Dioscorea rotundataPoir.): a field study

Root System Architecture and Abiotic Stress Tolerance: Current Knowledge in Root and Tuber Crops

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