Back U. R. Sangakkara
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Full Paper (PDF File: 211KB)
Abstract
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a tropical tuber crop, primarily cultivated by small landholders in Asia. The crop is a versatile component of the agricultural systems; it has the capacity to produce a significant quantity of carbohydrates, and the protein and vitamin content enhances its value. Thus, it is cultivated in both wet and dry seasons, although yields are generally lower under dry conditions. Experiments were conducted with a common short season variety of sweet potato using effective microorganisms (EM) as a microbial inoculant to study the effect on crop production during a wet and dry season, Effective microorganisms are reported to improve soil characteristics and to provide the required growth resources as well as a sustainable environment. Treatments over a wet and a dry season at the same location included (a) chemical fertilizer, (Z:) chemical fertilizer with organic amendments, (c) these same treatments with EM, and (d) control treatment with no additives. The data included growth and development of the crop and yield, and water holding capacity of the soil for both seasons.
The results showed that EM increased yields of sweet potato, especially in the dry season when the numbers of tubers, and bulking rates were generally lower. The study also indicated that EM maintained the water holding capacity of the soil to a greater extent during the dry season.