VINE PRODUCTION OF SWEET POTATO (IPOMEA BATATAS) IN A SCREEN HOUSE AS AFFECTED BY MULCH APPLICATION UNDER MOISTURE STRESSED CONDITION

Abundance of vines is produced every season after harvest of sweet potato. Vine scarcity has however been identified as one of the important constraints limiting production at the beginning of the season, when needed most. A study was carried out in a screen house of the College of Plant Science, University of Agriculture Abeokuta; between December 2011 and March, 2012 to evaluate vine production of Sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) as influenced by mulch application under moisture stressed condition. The experiment was a 2x2x2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design and replicated four times. The factors were two varieties of sweet potatoes irrigated at 2 or 3 weeks interval (2 or 3 weeks between successive irrigation) with or without mulch application. Delaying successive irrigation by three weeks did not significantly reduce growth of mulched sweet potato till the fourth week. Mulch application significantly enhanced irrigation, stem elongation and vine production by about 22%. Mulching produced similar advantage that irrigating at 2 weeks interval had over irrigating at 3 weeks interval. TIS 86/0356 produced significantly more number of cuttings than TIS 87/0087. Priced sweet potato vines can be kept alive till the following season by farmers, by mulching and irrigating every 14 or 21 days. It will be of immense benefit to growers especially in regions with shortage of water due to marked dry periods.