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Use of gibberellic acid to prolong dormancy and reduce losses during traditional storage of yams
Author(s) -
Girardin Olivier,
Nindjin Charlemagne,
Farah Zakaria,
Escher Felix,
Stamp Peter,
Otokoré Dama
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0010(199806)77:2<172::aid-jsfa21>3.0.co;2-r
Subject(s) - gibberellic acid , dormancy , germination , horticulture , dioscorea , botany , biology , chemistry , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
The annual vegetative cycle of the yam ( Dioscorea spp) necessitates a long period of storage. Losses during this period are high and are mainly due to germination. Trials on the effectiveness of gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) for controlling storage losses were carried out on the two main species of yam ( D cayenensis rotundata and D alata ) grown in the Ivory Coast. Methods of application at the apex adapted to the rural environment were tested. Treatment with GA 3 prolonged the dormancy period and thus reduced losses. This substance was effective at low concentration with a long soaking duration (75 mg litre −1 for 2 h) and during a soaking of short duration with a higher concentration (0·5 h at 150 mg litre −1 ). Because of its stability at ambient temperature, the solution was still active 3 days after being prepared and after reuse of the same dip six times. © 1998 SCI.