Evaluating the Growth and Development of Cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) Under Traditional Farming Practices and Controlled Conditions

¹ Department of Natural Resources and Sustainability Science, Faculty of Earth Science, Jeli Campus Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Locked Bag 100, 17600 Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia
² Politeknik Jeli, Jalan Raya Timur-Barat, 17600 Jeli, Kelantan

^* Corresponding author: zulhazman@umk.edu.my

Abstract

In Malaysia, specifically Kelantan, there is limited information on the variety of species and optimal production practices for edible Araceae. The study’s objectives are to examine the growth development and survival rates of domesticated edible Araceae species, specifically Cocoyam ( Xanthosoma sagittifolium), cultivated in Kelantan, Malaysia. Two environments were evaluated: a controlled condition using the minisett technique and under natural conditions that using farmers’ traditional management practices. The controlled condition utilized 50% using shade cloth, planted in 20×20 inch polybags, and a mixture of organic soil as the growing media. Fertilizer was applied at weeks 8 and 16, with the control condition receiving twice-daily irrigation. Over 20 weeks, leaf length, leaf width, plant height, stem diameter, and petiole length were recorded weekly for 50 plants. Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS. Based on these results, it can be concluded that X. sagittifolium exhibits strong growth performance, with higher growth rates and better overall development under farming conditions compared to controlled conditions. The survival rate of X. sagittifolium was higher under traditional farming practices (92%) compared to controlled conditions (84%). These findings suggest that the traditional farming practices may be more reliable for cultivating X. sagittifolium in Kelantan.