COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STAKING METHODS ON PRODUCTIVITY OF WHITE YAM (Dioscorea rotundata) IN ASABA DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

The study was conducted to examine the effect of staking methods on the productivity of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) in Asaba Delta State. Field experiment was conducted at the teaching and demonstration farm of Agricultural Education Department, Federal College of Education (Technical) Asaba, Delta State during the 2025 planting season. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD), replicated three times. The experiment has three treatments as follows single staking + 18kg PGM pyramidal staking +18kg PGM and trellis staking + 18kg PGM. The pig manure was applied at the rate of 18 kg per plot, each plot comprised of 4 mounds (4.5kg of pig waste per mound). The Pig manure was applied two times first application was 2.5kg incorporated during tillage and mound making and the second application of 2kg was done at 8 weeks after planting. The length of the staking materials was 2m. Planting was done at the spacing of 1m x 0.3m given plants population of 33.333 plants per hectare. Seed yam weighing 100g was planted per hole in the third week of May 2025. Land reparation for experiment measured 200m by 200m, the land was slashed, stumped, ploughed and heaped in mound. Composite soil sample was collected with soil auger to a depth of 20cm from six different spots in the plot and was used to determine physiochemical properties of the soil before planting Data on growth parameters were collected on vine length and leaf area index at 3 and 4 months after planting from four randomly selected plants per plot. Leaf area (cm2) per plant was obtained using the correction leaf factor. The result was analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Means separation was performed by the Fishers least significant deference (F-LSD) test and statistical significance was indicated at the probability of p < 0.05 Findings from the result revealed that the use of single staking method combined with 18kg of pig manure per plot produced better results over other staking methods. The study recommends the adoption of single staking method for increased productivity of white yam.