Another tuber crop that is mainly use
for human food in Nigeria is cocoyam. Cocoyam is commonly grown among the small
scale farmers in Nigeria who operate within the subsistence economy. Before now
cocoyam is regarded as a low important crop which the cultivation and the consumption
lie within the less privileged farmers in Nigeria.
Step by step on how to grow cocoyam
in Nigeria
Land selection: Actually cocoyam really thrives better on a well drained sandy loamy
soil. This tuber crop produces optimum yields when it is planted in fertile
soil with a good water retention capacity.
The land preparation: Start by clearing the bush and then burn the thrashes if it is a virgin
land. If the land is actually a plough able land, make sure you plough twice at
fifteen days interval. Also you can make heaps or ridges at 1 m x 1 m apart.
The time for planting: You can start planting immediately the rain is steady.
Cocoyam varieties: Cocoyam has 2 main varieties which are white and pink.
The spacing: You can plant on the crest of the heaps or ridges at 1m apart on the row.
Actually the whole cormel or the cut sett from corms needs to be planted at
about 15 to 20 cm deep. Make sure the cut surface of the sett is face upwards
in a slanting position.
The planting material: The whole corm or cormel need to
be cut into setts for planting. Make sure the sett or corm is not too big or
too small.
The seed rate: This should be 10,000corms/ha.
The fertilizer application: Fertilizer application may not
be needed but it may be needed if the soil has been depleted. You can apply
N.P.K. 15:15:15 at five to six beer bottle capfuls in a ring form about 10 cm
to the plant.
Weed and pests control: Cocoyam plants are attack by Fungus. Some of the leaves will turn
yellow prematurely and the entire plant will become wilt and it will also
result to damping -off of the seedlings. If there is severe attack you can uproot
the affected plant and then bury it or burn it.
Cocoyam plants are also attacked by white
ants. These white ants normally cause damage to the tubers at any stage of
development. Some other pest that attack cocoyam plants are rodents that eat
the corms and cormels on the field.
Harvesting of cocoyam: There are a lot of cocoyam varieties
that mature in about eight months from planting. The harvesting of cocoyam is actually
done by shaking up the plant and uprooting it and bringing out the cormels
while those cormels that remain in the soil are also dug out. The cormels must not
be bruised in other to ensure proper storage.
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