Production Guides for Taro and Yam now Available at the NPRCRTC
12.15.09 -JSTabangcura

     Northern Philippines Root Crops Research and Training Center or NPRCRTC known for breeding the sweet potato variety, Gloria Kamaptengan, has now released production guides for taro and yam.

     Taro is locally called pising if referring to its stalks and aba if referring to its corms or roots while yam is locally known as ubi.

     The production guides, available for Php 50.00 per copy at the NPRCRTC can help farmers in the cultural management of taro and yam. Cultural management includes:  selection of varieties; land preparation; planting materials, time, distance, depth and method; weeding; mulching; fertilization and; cropping systems.

     The Taro Production Guide is authored by Ines C. Gonzales, Donita K. Simongo, Johnny G. Dati, and Delen T. Meldoz. According to the guide, promising cultivars for the highlands other than Itchina, the local cultivar, are Mindanao, PRG 369, PRG 377, PRG 385 and PSBG-5.

     Itchina’s leaves measures 49 cm in length and 36 cm in width while its stalks has a length of 77cm. Mindanao grows taller than Itchina with leaves measuring up to 62 cm with width of 46 cm and the petiole or the stalk measuring up to 116 cm. PRG 369 is similar with Itchina only that the stalk is greyed green in color and the corm is darker than Itchina. PRG 377 is distinguished because of its purple corm, PRG 385 is distinguished by its yellow green leaves that is 49 cm in length and 34 cm in width with stalks of 12 cm while PSBG-5 has yellow green stalks measuring up to 101 cm.

     Taro is sold for Php 10.00 to Php 15.00 per stalk bundle and Php 15.00 to Php 35.00 per kilograms for the corm depending on the size.

     Planting materials for the taro varieties are available at the NPRCRTC for Php 2.00 per corm.
The yam production guide is authored by Betty T. Gayao, Dalen T. Meldoz, Grace S. Backian, and Violeta B. Salda. The guide recommends the varieties Sampero or Kinampay, BSUDA 9082 (violet), BSUDA 90 (daking), Ramay-ramay, Mindoro or Tungkol, Dimdiman and Tuwiran or Inmuneg. The guide contains recommended production technologies for yam based on extensive studies of the authors through the years.

     Both guides contain procedures on managing pest diseases and some tips on post harvest handling and marketing of taro and yam. The NPRCRTC is one of the five research institutes of Benguet State University