Journal of Bio-Environment Control ISSN:1229-4675(Print) 2765-3641(Online) 생물환경조절학회지

Yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus) is a subtropical plant belonging to the Fabaceae family, and is a tuberous vegetable used as various food material with a crisp and juicy taste. This study was conducted to seek optimum sowing time of yam bean in Korea. For this, we surveyed germination properties by the different temperatures and compared the accumulation temperature (AT) and dry matter production (DMP) on growth stages of yam bean by the different sowing times. Two types of varieties cultivated mainly in Korea, Thailand local variety (TLV) and Cheongunmanma cultivar (CGMM), was used. The germination rate of yam bean was 86.0~94.0% at above 18°C, and germination days was longer at lower temperature. The times for flowering and tuber formation of CGMM were later than those of TLV, and the AT required for flowering, tuber formation and hypertrophy of CGMM were higher than those of TLV by 293°C, 280°C and 108°C, respectively. Also, DMP of shoot and tuber in CGMM were greater than those in TLV. In sowing at April 25, tuber formation was slower than sowing after that time, and harvest index (HI) was relatively low due to delayed formation and hypertrophy of tuber. In sowing after June 9, DMP of shoot was relatively greater in early growth, but tuber was not sufficient to enlarge due to lack of growth days by cold and frost in late October. In sowing May 10 and 25, DMP of tuber and HI were the highest, because the change of day length and temperature gave an advantage to vegetable growth and tuber development. All above suggest that it was suitable to sow seeds on May for increment of tuber productivity in Korea.