Scientists Recommend New Technique to Boost Sweet potato Production of Smallholder Farmers in Dodoma region, Ta
- 30th May, 2023 14:06
- By SINGIRA
- News
Researchers recommend use
of vine cuttings with seven to eight buried nodes with the internodes length of
2-centimeters to improve yield and quality of sweet potato tuberous root in
Dodoma.
The Recommendation comes
as a result of research work of a team of three researchers whose study
findings have been published recently in the International Journal of Research
Publication with the title “Influence of Number of Buried Nodes and Sources
of Potassium Fertilizers on Sweet Potato Growth and Yield in Dodoma, Tanzania”.
Among the three, two Researchers
are from Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) namely John K.
Kigwinya from TARI-Makutupora Centre, Dodoma and Emmanuel A. Chilagane from
TARI-Ilonga Centre, Morogoro in Collaboration with Cornel L. Rweyemamu from
Sokoine University of Agriculture, Department of Crop Science and Horticulture,
Morogoro, Tanzania.
The findings of the
research work indicates that, number of nodes have significant results in the increase
of yield where the highest yield of 15.91 tons per hectare was obtained from
eight buried nodes and lowest total yield of 11.68 tones per hector was obtained from four
buried nodes.
Research on application
of fertilizers in sweet potato production indicates that, use of Potassium nitrogen phosphate and
potassium chloride at a rate of 120 kg per hector is recommended in soils deficient
NPK mineral so as to improve the fertility status especially for poor resource
farmers.
Two sweet potato
varieties namely Kiegeya, Mataya and a local check known as Ukerewe were used
in carrying out the trials. However, recommendations apply to any sweet potato
variety which a farmer chooses to grow depending on palatability and
marketability.
