First Reported Observation on Aerial Tuber Formation in Dioscorea hispida Dennst.

• Main Authors: Nashriyah, Mat, Hafsah, Ja'afar, Mohd. Hudzari, Haji Razali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: S Agriculture (General); SB Plant culture
• Online Access: http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/4267/1/FH02-FPBSM-14-00326.pdf; http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/4267/
• Institution: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin

During an experiment to study the effects of irrigation on growth and development of Dioscorea hispida Dennst., we observed aerial tuberization after six to nine months of D. hispida growth. In this experiment, there were five irrigation schedules applied on D. hispida: daily watering (T2), watering at one day interval (T1/control), two day intervals (T3), five day intervals (T4) and six day intervals (T5). Each plant was given 440 mL of water in every application. Treatment T2 showed the highest percentage of tuberization (80%), while for T5 no aerial tuber formation was observed. To our knowledge, aerial tuber formation of D. hispida has never been reported until now. Aerial tubers have the potential to be used as an alternative and clean planting material for propagation and if they can be induced to germinate, it would be possible to use them for the tissue culture and commercialization of D. hispida.