The Growth and Yield of Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) var. Antiquorum in Diverse Sizes of Tuber and Numbers of Leaf

Objectives of the research were to study the sizes of tuber and numbers of leaf that must be left to increase the growth and yield of taro. The research was conducted at the field in Karang pandan Village, Rejoso Subdistrict, Pasuruan Regency, from October 2012 July 2013. The research used a Randomized Complete Design (RCD), which was constructed in factorial that comprised of 2 factors. The first factor is the tuber sizes (U): (U1) size of the germ tuber 30 49 g, (U2) size of the germ tuber 50 69 g, and (U3) size of the germ tuber 70 89 g. The second factor is the left leaves (D): (D0) control (the leaves are not pruned), (D1) numbers of the left leaves, 2 leaves plant-1, (D2) numbers of the left leaves, 3 leaves plant-1, (D3) numbers of the left leaves, 4 leaves plant-1. Results of the research showed no significant interaction between the tuber size and numbers of leaf, however, size of the germ tuber and number of the left leaves have significant effect on all of the observed parameters, except RGR (Relative Growth Rate) and NAR (Net Assimilation Rate (NAR) on the germ tuber size and RGR, NAR and Dision Index (DI) on number of leaf. Size 70-89 g produces fresh weight of tuber 22.53 ton ha-1, while the plants, which do not prune the leaves, will produces fresh weight of tuber 23.43 ton ha-1.