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TUBER INFORMATION
COLOCASIA
Colocasia
esculenta, taro is a herbaceous plant from old world tropics,
with thick tuber (underground stem) containing much starch;
cultivated for food for many centuries. Taro must be cooked
to destroy the acrid crystals of calcium oxalate found
in all parts of the plant.
Colocasia is a crop of tropical and sub-tropical regions
and requires a warm humid climate. Under rainfed conditions,
it requires a fairly well distributed rainfall around
120-150 cm during the growth period. Well-drained soil
is suitable for uniform development of tubers.
Season
Rainfed
crop: May-June to Oct-Nov
Irrigated crop: Throughout the year
Sree
Rashmi and Sree Pallavi are two improved varieties
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Use
side tubers each of 25-35 g for planting. About 37,000
side tubers weighing about 1200 kg are required to plant
one hectare.
Plough or dig the land to a depth of 20-25 cm and bring
to a fine tilth. Make ridges 60 cm apart. Plant the side
corms at a spacing of 45 cm on the ridges.
Mulching
Soon
after planting, cover the ridges with suitable mulching
materials for retention of moisture and to control weeds.
Ensure
sufficient moisture in the soil at the time of planting.
For uniform sprouting, irrigate just after planting and
one week later. Subsequent irrigation may be given at
12-15 days intervals, depending on the moisture retention
capacity of the soil. The irrigation should be stopped
3-4 weeks before harvest. About 9-12 irrigations are required
for the crop till harvest. In the case of rainfed crop,
if there is prolonged drought, supplementary irrigation
is required.
Apply
cattle manure or compost @ 12 t/ha as basal dressing,
while preparing the ridges for planting. A fertilizer
dose of 80:25:100 kg of N:P2O5:K2O per ha is recommended.
Full dose of P2O5 and half dose of N and K2O should be
applied within a week after sprouting and the remaining
half dose of N and K2O one month after the first application
along with weeding and earthing up
Inter-cultivation
is essential in colocasia. Weeding, light hoeing and
earthing up are required at 30-45 days and 60-75 days
after planting. The leafy parts may be smothered about
one month before harvest so as to enhance tuber development.
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Colocasia
blight can be controlled by spraying ziram, zineb, mancozeb
or copper oxychloride formulations at 2 g/l of water
(1 kg/ha). For controlling serious infestation of aphids,
apply dimethoate or monocrotophos at 0.05%. Leaf feeders
can be controlled by applying malathion or carbaryl.
Need based application of carbaryl is recommended
for control of pests
Colocasia
becomes ready for harvest five to six months after planting.
The mother corms and side tubers are separated after harvest.
The
side tubers to be used as planting materials are usually
separated from the mother corm and stored. Keep seed tuber
in sand spread over the floor to avoid rotting
Irrigated
Crop: 5- 6 tons/ha (Hybrids)
4.5-5 tons/ha (Composites)
Rainfed Crop : 2-2.5 tons/ha (Hybrids)
1.5-2 tons/ha (Composites)
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