Abstract
The experiment was conducted at the University of Uyo Teaching and Research farm in 2022 to evaluate the effects of bush burning and mulching on the fresh weight of leaves, corms and cormels of four cocoyam cultivars – NCY 001, NCY 002, NCY 004 and NCY 005. The experiment was laid out on a split – split plot design using randomized complete block design and replicated three times. The effects of the treatment combinations were investigated and the study indicated that burning increased the fresh weight of corms and cormels irrespective of the cultivars. Mulching at level of 10 tonnes per hectare on the burnt plots showed significant increase in the fresh weight of the corms and cormels (2.99, 2.98) at 60, 90DAP with NCY 005 while NCY 001 gave a higher value of 2.99 at 120 DAP. Mulching at zero tonne per hectare gave the highest fresh weight of corms and cormels (1.97, 1.98) on unburnt plot at 60,90DAP with NCY 005 and 2.98 at 120DAP with NCY 002. The lowest fresh weight of corms and cormels (1.37, 1.60, 1.70) was recorded with 20 tonnes per hectare mulch levels on the unburnt plots at 60, 90 and 120DAP with NCY004. The fresh weight of leaves (0.30, 0.32, 0.38) was highest with 20 tonnes per hectare mulch level on the unburnt plots with NCY004 at 60,90,120DAP while zero tonnes per hectare recorded lowest fresh weights of leaves on both NCY 001 and NCY 005 on the burnt plots at 60, 90 and 120 DAP respectively. It appears therefore that the cultivation of NCY 001 - Xanthosoma sagittifolium (white) on burnt plots and 10 tonnes per hectare mulch level may give more economic returns to management on the corms and cormels whereas NCY 004 with 20 tonnes per hectare level mulch on unburnt plots may give higher fresh weight of leaves.