How to grow yam to achieve high yield?

Yam is rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin B group, calcium, iron, phosphorus, etc. It has a delicate and soft taste after being cooked and is suitable for various cooking methods. Let’s learn together how to grow yam to achieve high yield.

1. When to plant yam

Yams are usually planted in mid-to-late March each year and harvested in October. Its flowering period is from June to August, and its fruiting period lasts from August to October. Since yam seeds are not easy to germinate on their own, it mainly relies on asexual reproduction and can be propagated by using reed heads and bulbils. The growth cycle of yam is about 1 to 2 years. In China, yam can be grown in almost any region, but the specific planting time varies according to local climatic conditions. For example, in East China, it is mostly planted around the Qingming Festival.

2. Soil selection

Yam cultivation is now no longer restricted to specific soil types. Whether it is sandy soil, loam or clay, no matter the depth of the soil layer or the height of the groundwater level, planting can be carried out through shallow trough directional cultivation technology. Still, rich, deep, well-drained sandy loam is the best soil for yam growth.

3. Selection of varieties

There are many varieties of yam available on the market, including the traditional Jiujin Yellow, Japanese White, Niutui Yam, etc. Growers can choose varieties with higher economic benefits for planting based on the length of the shallow growing trough and market demand.

4. Preparation of seedlings

1. Seedling processing: There are three main methods: one is to use the part of the yam tuber with buds, about 20 to 40 cm in length; the second is to cut the tuber into 8 to 10 cm segments; the third is to use the bulbils of yam. Among these methods, using bulbils to grow seedlings has the best effect, followed by using yam tubers that are 1 to 2 years old. Those that are more than 3 years old should not be used. Using yam tubers as seedlings is an advanced cultivation method that can not only solve the problem of insufficient tuber quantity, but also increase yield while preventing variety degeneration. Before cutting, you can apply wood ash and lime on both ends to reduce the invasion of pathogens, and dry them in the sun for 1 to 3 days depending on the head, middle, and tail to break the dormancy period and promote germination.

2. Germination: Spread 3 to 5 cm of river sand on the surface of the indoor or field ridges, spread the seed blocks on the river sand to a thickness of about 10 cm, and then cover with 3 to 5 cm of wet straw or river sand. In cold or rainy weather, small sheds should be built to keep warm and prevent rot. About 20 to 25 days later, when the young shoots growing out of the seed blocks reach about 5 cm, they should be transplanted immediately.

5. Field Management

1. Weeding: mainly done manually.

2. Frame building and pruning: 10 to 20 days after planting, when the plant height reaches about 20 cm, fence bamboo should be inserted in time to build a frame. Common types of supports include upright fence frames, cross-ditch V-shaped frames, cross-ditch well-shaped frames or shed frames, among which cross-ditch well-shaped frames are ideal because of their wind resistance, ventilation and light transmission, and ease of field operation. When inserting the hedge bamboo, be careful not to insert it into a shallow groove. Keep one vine on each yam plant and guide the vines onto the rack to prevent the vines from getting entangled naturally or falling over due to being too long and not being on the rack. Between June and September, excess young vines should be removed from the base in time, and the side vines growing between the leaf axils below 1.5 meters of the vine should be removed.

3. Fertilization and soil cultivation: Apply topdressing every 20 to 30 days after the seedlings have all grown, and apply 3 to 4 times in a row, each time applying 5 to 10 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. About 120 days after planting, when the plants begin to enter the tuber growth period, potato fertilizer should be applied heavily, with 20 to 30 kilograms of compound fertilizer, 25 kilograms of peanut bran or 100 kilograms of biological organic fertilizer per mu. Fertilization should be carried out after rain or irrigation, and soil should be cultivated in time. The soil layer covering the shallow growing trough should be kept 10 to 15 cm thick.

4. Water management: Yams are relatively drought-resistant and have no strict requirements on water. During the seedling stage and the early stages of tuber growth, just keep the soil moist. However, when the tubers enter the peak growth period, sufficient water supply should be ensured. September to November is the period when yam tubers grow and swell rapidly, and the soil needs to be kept moist. If there is insufficient water, it may have a significant impact on the yield, so the water supply should be guaranteed as much as possible. Watering should be stopped about 10 days before harvest to facilitate transportation and storage after harvest.

6. Harvest

Harvesting usually begins in late November when the vines wilt, and the harvest period can last until April of the following year. It is best to harvest in the morning on a sunny day. Gently turn over the shallow soil layer and you can easily take out the entire yam tuber. After harvesting, the skin moisture should be dried on site, and then the tubers should be graded, packaged and transported. During the harvesting process, the breakage of the tubers should be minimized and they should be handled with care to avoid mechanical damage. After harvesting, the shallow growing trough can be kept in the bed. After turning and drying for a period of time, soft filler can be added again and covered with soil. Planting can continue when the appropriate season comes. Shallow growing troughs can be used continuously for 2 to 3 years without the need for re-cultivation.

The above is an introduction to the planting methods of yam. Planting yam also requires everyone to consider the actual local environment and choose suitable varieties and plots for planting.