Effects of planting depth on growth and corm shape of two Amorphophallus species cultivated in Indonesia

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 240 - 245
• Main Authors: Santosa, E. (Tokyo Univ. (Japan)), Sugiyama, N, Hikosaka, S, Nakata, M, Bintoro, H.M.H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japanese Society for Tropical Agriculture 01.12.2004
• Subjects: AMORPHOPHALLUS; Amorphophallus muelleri; Amorphophallus paeoniifolius; Bulbil; Cormel; CORMS; DEPTH; GROWTH; INDONESIA; PLANTING
• ISSN: 0021-5260; 2185-0259
• DOI: 10.11248/jsta1957.48.240

In the cultivation of Amorpkophallus muelleri and Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (elephant foot yams), harvest is extremely laborious, especially when corms are formed at deep positions. Therefore, the effects of different planting depths on the position, shape and fresh mass of new corms were studied. Seed corms of both species were planted at three depths, i.e., 10 cm. 20 cm and 30 cm, in September, 2002, and harvested in July, 2003. Planting depth was measured from the soil surface to the top of corms. Planting depth did not affect significantly the fresh mass of the corms in either species. The position of the new corms was affected by the planting depth in both species: new corms were formed at about 10 cm belowground even if the seed corms were planted at a depth of 30 cm. Corm shape was globose or depressed-globose when the seed corms were planted at a depth of 10 cm, while the corms were elongated or pyriform at a planting depth of 30 cm in both species. At a planting depth of 20 cm, A. muelleri plants often produced elongated or pyriform corms, whereas A. paeoniifolius did not produce pyriform corms. These results suggest that the effect of the planting depth on the corm shape is more pronounced in A. muelleri than in A. paeoniifolius. Key Words: Amorphophallus muelleri, Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, Bulbil, Cormel