Enhancing the food security status of yam (Dioscorea spp.) for smallholder farmers through an improved farm-gate storage structure in Ghana

Abstract

Yams (Dioscorea spp.) are a good source of food in Ghana. This study investigated the storage of seven (7) key yam varieties in an improved farm-gate yam storage structure. Seven freshly harvested key yam varieties identified as Pona, Lariboko, Dente, Mutwumudoo, Serwah, Matches and Akaba were used in a Complete Block Design technique of 3 blocks and stored in an improved farm-gate yam storage structure for 146 days. Formation of buds, pests and diseases, wholesomeness, regeneration of sprouts, temperature and relative humidity were monitored. After the storage period, mean number of buds formed varied between 1.3 and 2.7. Matches, Mutwumudoo and Dente yam varieties recorded the highest number of buds compared to Pona, Laribokor and Serwah, which recorded a mean of 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 buds, respectively. Pona and Lariboko yam varieties were more highly susceptible to pests and diseases than Matches, Akaba, Dente and Serwah. Wholesome tubers were higher in Serwah, Matches, Akaba, Mutwumudoo and Dente varieties than Pona and Lariboko yam varieties, as the former were less attacked by pests and diseases. Serwah yam variety was observed to store best among the seven (7) key yam varieties even though regeneration of buds observed in Serwah yam variety was the highest.