What are the temperature requirements for yam growth?
Yam is both a medicinal herb and a vegetable, and it is very popular in our country. When growing yams, there are many things we need to pay attention to and manage with special care. Among them, temperature is the key factor, as it directly affects the growth capacity of yams and is closely tied to yam yield and quality. So when growing yams, what are the temperature requirements? Let's take a look together below!
1. The effect of temperature on yams
As mentioned just now, temperature has a very large effect on yam growth, mainly including two aspects: air temperature and soil temperature. After yams begin to sprout, soil temperature is very important to yams. Every spring, when the soil temperature gradually rises above 10°C, the yam stem seed begins to sprout, but not quickly. When the temperature reaches about 18°C, the sprouting speed of yams noticeably accelerates. The suitable temperature for yam sprouting is around 24°C, and under this temperature condition, the sprouting time of yams is generally about 9 days. As the soil temperature rises, the sprouting speed will also continuously accelerate. However, if the temperature rises too quickly, it will affect the growth capacity of the seedlings.
2. Temperature requirements during the tuber expansion period
After yam tubers enter the expansion period, the suitable temperature is generally around 25°C. If the temperature is below 15°C, the growth speed of yams will be noticeably reduced, and below 10°C growth will stop. The temperature should also not be too high; if it exceeds 30°C, the respiration of yam tubers will be strengthened, consuming too many nutrients and reducing the accumulation of organic matter. The temperature requirements for yam vine growth are relatively high, generally needing to be kept above 20°C, with the suitable temperature around 26°C. If it goes beyond the range of 10-35°C, at best the growth speed will decrease, and at worst growth will stop.
3. Temperature requirements during the dormant period
Generally, after Frost's Descent each year, yams begin to enter the dormant period, and at this time the aboveground vines of the yam gradually wither and die. The tubers begin to dormancy, but the physiological activities of the tubers are still ongoing. Therefore, during the tuber dormant period, the temperature should be controlled at around 1-2°C. This temperature can inhibit the physiological activities of the tubers such as respiration and transpiration. This avoids consuming too many nutrients during storage. If the temperature is below minus 3°C, yams will suffer frost damage, but the temperature should also not be higher than 10°C, as this easily causes tuber rot.
The above is a brief introduction to the temperature requirements for yam growth. Temperature control during yam growth is very important, directly affecting yield and quality, and also linked to planting benefits, so everyone must pay close attention. That's all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!