How to Grow Taro: High-Yield Cultivation and Management Techniques

AbstractTaro cultivation method: Sow in mid-to-late April; 15-20 days before sowing, sun the seed taro and sprout it; sow at a plant spacing of 25-30cm and a row spacing of 60cm, with a sowing depth of 3-5cm. Field management: Apply 1 seedling-promoting fertilizer during the early seedling stage, and apply fertilizer 2-3 times during the early and middle stages of plant development and corm growth, while keeping the soil moist. Before the rows close, remove the film and combine with intertillage, weeding, and earthing up 2-3 times. During this period, pay attention to preventing and controlling soft rot and late blight.

I. Taro Cultivation Methods

1. Sowing time

Generally, sowing is suitable in mid-to-late April; sowing too early easily leads to seed rot.

2. Selecting seeds

Choose seed taro whose corms have no wounds, whose terminal bud tips are intact, and which weigh about 50g and are round-spherical corms.

3. Sunning seeds and sprouting

To ensure uniform emergence, generally 15-20 days before sowing, sun the seeds to sprout them or sprout them in moist sand. When sprouting, first sun the stored taro for 1-2 days, then arrange the seed taro closely in the sprouting bed. When sprouting, pay attention to keeping moisture and control the temperature at 18-20°C. After 15-20 days, when the sprouts grow to about 1cm, they can be sown.

4. Sowing method

(1) The edible organ of taro is the underground corm, and its root system is deeply distributed. It is suitable to choose soil with strong fertilizer and water retention for sowing. First, deeply plow the soil more than 40cm; deep plowing helps the corm expand and increases yield. Before deep plowing, apply 2500kg of organic fertilizer per mu, along with an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers such as potassium sulfate and superphosphate.

(2) Then sow at a plant spacing of 25-30cm and a row spacing of 60cm, with a sowing depth of 3-5cm. After sowing, cover with plastic film to retain moisture; increasing temperature helps ensure uniform emergence.

II. Field Management

1. Topdressing 

Taro has a relatively long growth period and high yield, so it requires a large amount of fertilizer. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, it also needs split topdressing. Generally, apply 1 seedling-promoting fertilizer in the early seedling stage, and apply fertilizer 2-3 times during the vigorous early and middle stages of plant development and corm growth. The amount of fertilizer applied should be less early and more later, and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers can be applied together. In the later stage, topdressing needs to be controlled to prevent excessive vegetative growth and late maturity.

2. Watering

(1) Taro leaves are relatively large and transpiration is strong, so it likes water and avoids dry soil; otherwise, yellowing and withered leaves easily occur. In the early stage, because the temperature is low and growth is small, generally it is only necessary to maintain soil moisture.

(2) In particular, do not water during the emergence stage, to avoid affecting root development and emergence. In the middle and later stages, the temperature is high and growth is large, so water demand is high. Keep the soil moist, and water suitably in the morning and evening. In hot seasons, avoid watering at noon; otherwise, it will cause leaves to wither.

3. Intertillage and earthing up

During the growth period, the taro corm gradually grows toward the soil surface as leaves increase, which easily affects the quality and yield of taro. At the same time, earthing up can also inhibit the germination of the terminal buds of daughter taro and grandchild taro, which helps reduce nutrient consumption and promote corm expansion. Therefore, before the rows close, remove the film and combine with intertillage, weeding, and earthing up 2-3 times, covering 5-7cm of soil each time, with an interval of 15-20 days.

4. Disease control

The main diseases occurring in taro are soft rot and late blight. In the early stage of disease onset, spray 50% carbendazim 600-fold solution, or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 700-fold solution, for control.