PYROLIGNEOUS ACID AS GROWTH AND YIELD ENHANCER OF SWEET POTATO (Ipomoea batatas L.)

Levy B. Arago and Sharlene P. Dilan

Abstract

One of the ways to prevent pest infestation is to provide pyroligneous acid, a kind of vinegar that contains some elements that makes the plant resistant to pest and diseases. In this study, different rates of pyroligneous acid were evaluated to determine its effect on the growth and yield of sweet potato (cv. Miracle). The growth parameters that were considered were number of leaves, leaf area, vine length, biomass and yield, and leaf folder infestation. An anlysis on the correlation between the number of leaves and tuber weight was also done.

All the rates (1% .50% and .33%) of pyroligneus significantly increased the number of leaves, leaf area, biomass, weight of tubers; and decreased leaf folder infestation. The yield in the treatment with .5% pyroligneous acid however, was significantly higher than those treated with .33% and 1%. The highest rate (1%) also showed inhibitory effect on the growth of the plants leading to a lower yield (1.1 t/ha) than the lower rate (.5%) with of 1.3 t/ha. There is positive correlation between the number of leaves and weight tubers, more and heavier tubers were harvested on the plants with more leaves.

Pyroligneous at 0.5% solution is recommended to enhance the growth and yield of sweet potato (cv. Miracle). Further studies, however, has to be conducted to determine the physico-chemical components of the PA that was used. Additional trials will also have to be conducted in other locations and season of planting sweet potato.

KEY WORDS: sweet potato, pyroligneous acid, yield enhancer, organic agriculture