Effect of growing conditions and various organic sources on growth and yield of Xanthosoma (Xanthosoma sagittifolium var. L. Schott)

Introduction

Xanthosoma sagittifolium var. L. Schott (family Araceae), commonly known as tannia or cocoyam, is an important tropical root and tuber crop cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The crop is primarily grown for its edible corms and cormels which are rich in carbohydrates and possess nutritional qualities comparable to potato (Onwueme et al., 1994; Agueguia, 2000) [2,1] . The tender leaves are also consumed as a nutritious vegetable owing to their high protein, vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant content. In addition to its food value, cocoyam has industrial applications in starch extraction, alcohol production, and pharmaceutical industries, while its foliage serves as livestock and poultry feed. Cocoyam is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia, West Africa, Central America and the Pacific Islands. In India, it is grown mainly in Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, and the North-Eastern states. Among the edible aroids, xanthosoma is considered the most commercially important due to its high consumer preference, better cooking quality, low acridity and considerable market and export potential. Nutritionally, it is superior to several other root and tuber crops because of its highly digestible starch, relatively higher protein content and essential minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium (Onyenweaku et al., 2007) [3] . Consequently, it is recommended as a suitable food for elderly individuals, diabetic patients, convalescents, and people with gastrointestinal disorders (Adekiya et al., 2016). Despite its economic and nutritional importance, cocoyam productivity is often constrained by poor soil fertility and inappropriate soil management, particularly in lateritic soils. Since the crop responds well to both organic and inorganic nutrient sources, integrated nutrient management (INM) practices have been developed to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. Research conducted at the ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram, demonstrated that the combined application of farmyard manure and chemical fertilizers significantly enhances growth and tuber yield. Furthermore, appropriate soil tillage and the use of soil conditioners such as coir pith improve soil physical properties and contribute to sustainable cocoyam production. Therefore, optimizing soil and nutrient management practices is essential for improving the productivity and profitability of Xanthosoma sagittifolium var. L. Schott. cultivation.

Material and methods

The present research entitled "effect of growing conditions and various organic sources on growth and yield of xanthosoma (Xanthosoma sagittifolium var. L. Schott.)", under agro-climatic conditions in the Konkan region in the Maharashtra region, was conducted at the Nursery No. 4 and High-Tech Nursery at College of Horticulture, Dapoli, during the Kharif season of 2025. The details of the materials and techniques utilized in the present investigation are provided below.

Experimental site

The field experiment was conducted at Nursery no.4 and high-tech nursery at College of Horticulture, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli (M. S.).

Climate and weather condition

The location of Dapoli is situated 240 meters above mean sea level (MSL) in the western coastline area of Maharashtra. On a global map, its geological location is 17º46'0" North latitude and 73º11'0" East longitude. During the trial period (June to February), the average minimum and maximum temperatures were 17 °C and 20.95 °C, respectively. In the span of the harvest, Dapoli received 3000-4000 mm of precipitation annually, which distributed from June to November. Throughout the trial period (June 2025 to December 2025), the average relative humidity was reported at 85%.

Experimental details

Treatment details

Results and discussion

The interaction significantly influenced plant height at all growth stages. At 150 DAS the highest plant height (90.27 cm) was observed in S 1 N 6 (under shade net house condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + humic acid @ 1 ml L -1 ). Whereas the minimum plant height (69.87 cm) was recorded in S 3 N 2 (open condition and FYM @ 30 t ha -1 ). The highest plant height was consistently recorded in S 1 N 6 , where the shade net house provided a favourable environment and the combined application of FYM, seaweed extract and humic acid improved nutrient availability and plant growth. Tania et al. (2021) [4] and Tiwari et al. (2025) [5] similarly recorded the highest plant height in turmeric and taro with vermicompost and biofertilizer-based organic nutrition, supporting the present findings.

The significant effect of interaction of growing conditions and various organic sources on petiole length at maturity. The petiole length (74.47 cm) was maximum in S 1 N 6 (under shade net house condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + humic acid @ 1 ml L -1

) and treatment combination which was at par with S 1 N 4 (74.20 cm). However, the minimum petiole length (39.80 cm) was measured in S 3 N 2 (open condition and FYM @ 30 t ha -1 ) treatment combination at maturity stage. The enhanced petiole elongation under S 1 N 6 may be attributed to the favourable microclimate created by the shade net, along with the synergistic effects of FYM, seaweed extract and humic acid. FYM improves soil structure, moisture retention and nutrient availability, while seaweed extract contains bioactive compounds that promote cell division, cell elongation and vegetative growth. Humic acid further enhances nutrient uptake and root activity, thereby supporting vigorous shoot development and petiole elongation. The present findings are in close agreement with the reports of Jayapal et al. (2019) [6] and Mahalakshmi et al. (2021) [7] who reported that integrated application of organic manures and biostimulants under favourable growing conditions significantly improved vegetative growth in tropical tuber crops, including Xanthosoma

The interaction effect between growing conditions and various organic sources were found to be significant for the leaf length of plant at maturity. Maximum leaf length (48.00) was found in treatment combination S 1 N 6 (under shade net house condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + humic acid @ 1 ml L -1 ) had significant). While, the minimum leaf length (24.27 cm) was recorded in treatment combination S 3 N 2 (open condition and FYM @ 30 t ha -1 ). The moderated light intensity and higher relative humidity under the shade net (S 1 ) triggered shade-adaptive morphological responses specifically cell elongation and lamina expansion while mitigating photo-oxidative stress. Simultaneously, the biostimulants in N 6 supplied natural growth hormones like auxins and gibberellins while enhancing root hydraulic conductivity and nutrient uptake, thereby maximizing turgor-driven cellular extension and structural leaf growth. Similar beneficial effects of integrated organic nutrient management on vegetative growth of tuber crops were reported by Mahalakshmi et al., (2021) [7] in elephant foot yam.

According to the finding the plant showed significant effect noted on combination of growing conditions and organic sources on leaf breadth of xanthosoma at maturity. The treatment combination S 1 N 6 (under shade net house condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + humic acid @ 1 ml L -1 ) that recorded the maximum width of leaf (30.80 cm) was recorded and which was at par with S 1 N 4 (29.20 cm) as well as in treatment combination S 3 N 2 (open condition and FYM @ 30 t ha -1 ) the minimum leaf width (14.67 cm) was recorded. The superior performance of S 1 N 6 indicates that the favourable microclimate under shade net combined with integrated organic nutrient management created ideal conditions for vegetative growth and leaf expansion. Conversely, the open condition combined with FYM alone was less effective in promoting leaf growth because of greater environmental stress and comparatively lower nutrient-use efficiency. Similar findings were reported by Haque et al. (2009) [8] in bottle gourd and these findings are in accordance with Mahalakshmi et al. (2021) [7] and Jayapal et al. (2019) [6] , who reported that integrated application of organic manures with bio stimulants significantly improved vegetative growth in tropical tuber crops.

Factor A: Growing conditions

Growing conditions S 1

Under shade net house condition S 2

Under coconut orchard (well established) S 3 Open Condition Factor A: Organic nutrient sources Organic nutrient sources N 1 RDF (80:60:80 NPK kg ha -1 ) + FYM @ 15 t ha -1 N 2 FYM @ 30 t ha -1 (continued on next page)

Factor A: Growing conditions

Vermicompost @ 5 t ha -1 N 4 FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + Humic acid @ 1 ml L -1 N 5

Vermicompost @ 5 t ha -1 + Seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 N 6 FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + Seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + Humic acid @ 1 ml L -1

The data regarding effect of interaction of growing conditions and various organic sources on leaf area was significant at mature stage.

The maximum area of leaf (1567.93 cm 2 ) at the maturity was recorded in the S 1 N 6 (under shade net house condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + humic acid @ 1 ml L -1 ) treatment combination. On the other hand, in the S 3 N 2 (open condition and FYM @ 30 t ha -1 ) treatment combination, leaf area was observed minimum (462.80 cm 2 ). The enhanced leaf development under S 1 N 6 may be attributed to the synergistic effect of favourable growing conditions and combined organic inputs, which improved nutrient availability, root development, water uptake and physiological activity, ultimately promoting cell division and leaf expansion. Seaweed extract and humic acid are known to stimulate plant growth and nutrient-use efficiency, thereby increasing photosynthetic surface area. The above results are in close conformity with the findings of Nedunchezhiyan et al. (2017) [9] in elephant foot yam crop.

Effect of growing conditions and various organic sources on total number of leaves per plant

The interaction effect of growing conditions and various organic nutrient sources on total number of leaves were found to be significant. The maximum leaves (19.13) were recorded in S 1 N 6 (under shade net house condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + humic acid @ 1 ml L -1

) which was at par with S 1 N 4 (18.87) and S 1 N 3 (18.33). Whereas, the minimum number of leaves (11.80) was obtained in S 3 N 2 (open condition and FYM @ 30 t ha -1 ). Similar results were reported by Hector et al. (1990, 1991), who observed improved leaf production under partial shade in xanthosoma crops. Comparable findings were also reported by Suja et al. (2017) [10] who found that balanced organic nutrient management significantly increased the number of leaves and overall vegetative growth in elephant foot yam and other tropical root and tuber crops.

Effect of growing conditions and various organic sources on herbage yield per hecatre

The interaction effect between growing conditions and organic sources had a statistically significant effect on the herbage yield per hectare of xanthosoma. The highest herbage yield (11.92 t ha -1 ) was observed in S 1 N 6 (under shade net house condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + humic acid @ 1 ml L -1 ), while the lowest yield (8.38 t ha -1 ) was with the S 3 N 2 (open condition and FYM @ 30 t ha -1 ) per hectare. The higher yield may be attributed to the favourable microclimate under shade, which promoted vegetative growth, leaf expansion and efficient moisture utilization, together with improved nutrient availability from integrated organic inputs. In contrast, the lowest herbage yield was recorded in S 3 N 2 , i.e. open condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 . Higher temperature, light intensity and moisture loss under open conditions may have restricted vegetative growth and consequently reduced herbage production. These findings are in agreement with reports by Kolambe et al. (2014) [11] in elephant foot yam, Jayapal et al. (2019) [6] on integrated nutrient management in tannia and Mahalakshmi et al. (2021) [7] on the beneficial effects of humic acid and seaweed extract in tuber crops.

Effect of growing conditions and various organic sources on corm yield per hecatre

The combined effect of growing condition and various organic sources on corm yield per hectare of xanthosoma was found to be significant. The maximum corm yield per hectare (5.98 t ha -1 ) was found in S 1 N 6 (under shade net house condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + humic acid @ 1 ml L -1 ). However, the minimum corm yield per hectare (2.92 t ha1 ) was recorded in S 3 N 2 (open condition and FYM @ 30 t ha -1 ). The present findings are in close agreement with those reported by Kolambe et al. (2014) [11] in elephant foot yam, who observed higher tuber yield under integrated organic nutrient management. Similar results were also reported by Jayapal et al. (2019) [6] , who found that the combined application of organic manures and biostimulants improved corm yield in tropical tuber crops. Agbede et al. (2020) [12] reported that integration of organic amendments significantly enhanced cocoyam yield through improved soil fertility and nutrient availability.

Effect of growing conditions and various organic sources on cormels yield per hecatre

The interaction effect between growing conditions and various organic sources was found to be significant for the cormels yield per plot of xanthosoma. Highest cormels yield per plot (2.61 kg plot -1 ) was found in treatment combination S 1 N 6 (under shade net house condition + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + seaweed extract @ 3 ml L -1 + humic acid @ 1 ml L -1 ) and which was at par with S 1 N 4 (2.55 kg plot -1 ), S 2 N 6 (2.53 kg plot -1 ) and S 2 N 4 (2.35 kg plot -1 ). While, the lowest cormels yield per plot (1.05 kg plot -1 ) was recorded in treatment combination S 3 N 2 (open condition and FYM @ 30 t ha -1 ). The superior performance of S 1 N 6 may be attributed to the favourable microclimate under shade net conditions combined with FYM, seaweed extract and humic acid, which improved nutrient availability, moisture conservation, root development and photosynthetic activity, thereby enhancing assimilate translocation towards cormels. The findings are in conformity with those of Hector et al. (1990) [13] , who reported that shaded environments improve tuber yield in xanthosoma. Similar improvements in tuber yield due to integrated organic nutrient application were reported by Kumar et al. (2017) [14] .

Conclusion

The present investigation clearly demonstrated that growing conditions and various organic sources significantly influenced the vegetative growth, yield and economic returns of Xanthosoma. On the basis of findings reported in present investigation, the following conclusion could be drawn. Among the growing conditions, shade net house (S 1 ) recorded significantly superior growth and yield parameters of Xanthosoma compared with coconut orchard (S 2 ) and open condition (S 3 ). Among the organic nutrient sources FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + Seaweed extract @ 3 mL L -1 + Humic acid @ 1 mL L -1 (N 6 ) produced the highest plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, herbage yield, corm yield and cormel yield. The interaction Shade net house + FYM @ 30 t ha -1 + Seaweed extract @ 3 mL L -1 + Humic acid @ 1 mL L -1 (S 1 N 6 ) was found to be the best treatment combination for obtaining maximum growth and yield.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementAuthors are thankful to the Head, Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli (M.S.) for providing necessary facilities.

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