TITLE:
Impacts of Field Harvesting and Conservation Practices on the Physical Quality of Yam “Kponan” (Dioscorea cayenensis-rotundata) of Côte d’Ivoire
AUTHORS:
Yapo Hypolithe Kouadio, Kouakou Nestor Kouassi, Daouda Nimaga, Yao Denis N’dri, N’Guessan Georges Amani
KEYWORDS:
“Kponan” Yam, Post-Harvest Loss, Cultivation Practices, Conservation Practices, Physical Quality
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.12 No.12,
December
9,
2022
ABSTRACT: Yam “Kponan”
(Dioscorea cayenensis-rotundata) is a popular staple food in C?te d’Ivoire.
However, its rapid decay during conservation prevents regular supply of
markets. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the impact of
field cultivation and conservation practices on some physical quality
parameters of “Kponan”. To this end,
“Kponan” yam from three production
areas (Bondoukou, Bouna, Kouassi-Kouassikro) was cultivated in each area. At
maturity, physical parameters of yams at harvest and after 3 months of storage
in field were analyzed. The results showed that injury was the most significant
deterioration in yam harvest. The rate of injured yams was highest for
hoe-harvested in Kouassi-Kouassikro area (16.67% - 22.22%) regardless of the origin of the cuttings. The main damage
observed after the 3 months of storage was rots (22.86% - 60.00%) and weight loss (8.57% - 42.86%).
However, yams stored in pits in Bouna zone had less damage (40% - 48.87%) than those stored under
straw huts in Bondoukou locality (100%) and at shade under a tree in
Kouassi-Kouassikro area (100%). In conclusion, the physical quality of “Kponan” in field is most affected by
abusive use of herbicides during weeding and clearing, hoe harvesting and
storage in the shade under a tree.