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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp3 (2026): Climate-Weed Nexus: Innovations for Sustainable Farming (CWIS 2025)

Growth and productivity of elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson) as influenced by nutrient management and intercropping

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.13508
Submitted
3 January 2026
Published
19-05-2026

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, from March to December 2023 and repeated for confirmation in 2024. The main objective was to assess the effect of nutrient management and short-duration pulses on the growth and productivity of elephant foot yam [Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson]. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with [(4 × 3) + 1] treatments, replicated 4 times. The treatments included four nutrient management strategies [n1- 100 % recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF); n2- 75 % recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) and potassium (K) + 50 % phosphorus (P) + plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) Mix I; n3- 100 % RDF + pink pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFM) 38 spray at 2 %, twice; n4- 75 % RDN and K + 50 % P + PGPR Mix I + PPFM 38 spray at 2 % twice) and three intercrops (c1- red gram, c2- cowpea, c3- black gram), compared with the sole crop of amorphophallus managed as per the Kerala Agricultural University package of practices recommendations (KAU POP) (control). Growth characters, yield attributes and yield of amorphophallus exhibited significant variation in response to nutrient management and intercropping during both years of experimentation. All the growth parameters (except canopy spread), yield attributes (except corm girth) and yield showed significantly higher values with n4. Intercropping amorphophallus with grain cowpea (c2) resulted in better performance of amorphophallus, in terms of growth and yield and the treatment combination n4c2 resulted in superior growth attributes of amorphophallus. Contrast analysis revealed significant variation between treatments and control. Control managed according to the KAU POP could be noted to be superior. However, the treatment combinations except n1c3, n1c1 and n3c1 were statistically comparable with the control (p > 0.05). From the present study, it could be concluded that, tailoring the nutrient management of amorphophallus with FYM (12.5 t ha-1) + 75 % RDN and K + 50 % P + soil drenching with PGPR Mix I liquid (basal, 2 and 4 MAP) at 100 mL per plant + PPFM 38 spray (2 %), twice at 4 and 6 MAP at 35 mL per plant, along with inclusion of cowpea as intercrop could enhance the growth and productivity of amorphophallus.

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