Iron toxicity symptoms in yams (Dioscorea spp.) grown in water culture

Abstract

Growth of varieties of Dioscorea alata and D. rotundata were stunted when they were grown in nutrient solutions containing 5 to 60 mg l−1 Fe. In D. alata variety TDa 95/00361, plants grown in 60 mg l−1 Fe solution exhibited reductions of 29–65% in plant height, leaf length and width, number of leaves, stems and roots, and root length compared to the control. The corresponding values for D. rotundata variety TDr 89/02565 were 34–59%. Tuber weight in D. rotundata variety TDr 89/02565 was increased by the iron treatments but the foliar symptoms of iron toxicity reported for other crops were not observed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd