Tuber production of Tropaeolum pentaphyllum Lam. from different sizes of seed-tubers in two cultivation cycles

Abstract

The liana Tropaeolum pentaphyllum Lam. is an unconventional food plant with potential economic exploitation. This study aimed to evaluate the vegetative propagation of T. pentaphyllum using seed-tubers. A total of 140 tubers were classified into four mass classes: I) < 10 g, II) 10 to 30 g, III) 30 to 70 g, and IV) > 70 g. Each mass class contained 35 tubers. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse at Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Sertão, southern Brazil, with temperature and relative humidity of 25°C and 50%, respectively. When the senescence of the aerial stem system occurred, the mass of the tubers was measured using a precision scale (0.01 grams). Analysis of variance and Tukey’s test (p < 0.05) were used to analyze the data obtained in the experiment. In addition, descriptive statistics (mean ± standard deviation) were also used. The ratio between the initial and final masses per tuber class was calculated and the production averages between tuber classes were compared. The annual and biennial productions show that the classes of tuber seeds with mass above 10 g (II, III, and IV) produce more tubers. Class II and III are indicated for annual cultivation considering both the production in number and mass. Regarding the production of tubers for sale, class I with biennial planting is indicated since it presents a more significant mass increment.