Fig. 5: Tuber quality evaluation during storage.
a, Yam yield in t ha−1 as influenced by W&P treatments for 2015–2018 field trials (lsd = 0.34, α = 0.01). b, Statistical data showing influence of BP–Abm, BP and FP treatments in field trials from 2015 to 2018 on population density of S. bradys per gram of yam peel at harvest and 3 months post-harvest (lsd =1.41 and 2.95, respectively, α = 0.01). c–e, Plots showing S.bradys final population (Pf) after storing tubers (produced after FP, BP and BP–Abm treatments) for 3 and 5 months in Glazoué (c), Savè (d) and Savalou (e) regions (n = 3 for each treatment). Numbers 3 and 5 after each year on the x-axis labels indicate the storage time in months. Tubers collected from different sites were stored in the same yam barn, so the storability experiment was conducted in the same climatic conditions to avoid the influence on the results. f–h, Photographs showing yam tubers stored to evaluate tuber weight, quality and S. bradys population (f), individually labelled porous containers filled with yam tubers produced after treatment and FP (g) and tubers with peels removed for sampling (h). Data analysis in panels a and b consists of one-way ANOVA for a randomized complete block design with three treatments and five replications. Combined analysis was done as for a factorial design with three treatments (BP–Abm, BP and FP), five replications, 26 farms and 4 years with no adjustments. All data analysis was accomplished using the general linear models procedure of PC/SAS software (SAS Institute). Mean separation was done by Waller–Duncan k-ratio t-test. Boxes are bounded by quartile 1 (bottom, 25th percentile) and quartile 3 (75th percentile), whiskers as minimum (quartile 1 − 1.5 × interquartile range) and maximum (quartile 3 + 1.5 × interquartile range), median defined by the line in the box (interquartile range), mean depicted by X and outliers depicted by dots. Error bars in panels a–e indicate standard deviation from the arithmetic means (shown as respective labels).
