Effects of Chlorethanol and Thiourea on the Germination and Relative Yield of the Yam (Dioscorea alata) L.

Abstract

Groups of 50 medium-si sed uniform Florido yams were consecutively treated with various factorially combined chlorethanol-thiourea solutions. The chlorothanol was used at rates of 40, 50, and 60 ml./liter of solution, while the thiourea, solutions were prepared at 0.5-, 1-, and 2-percent concentrations. The most important results were as follows: 1. All treated yam ''seed" started to sprout in about a month, or shortly after they were planted in the field. If look nearly 4 months for the untreated seed to germinate, 2. Besides stimulating early sprouting the chlorethanol-thiourea treatments also induced several shoots to grow from each bud. 3. Yield differences between treated and untreated yams wore outstanding. Untreated yams produced only 4 pounds, while the lowest yield for the chemically treated yams was 12 pounds of edible roots. 4. There was a tendency for the number of sprouts and the yield to increase with an increase in the chlorethanol concentration. No such effects were apparent from the thiourea concentrations.