Response of Different Seedlings to Growth and Yield in Yacon

The seedlings of yacon (Polymnia sonchifolia Poeppig ＆ Endlicher), which were cuttings, plug seedling (PS), crown bud before sprouting (CBBS), crown bud after sprouting (CBAS), and divided seedling after budding (DSAB) were planted at 70$\times$50 cm planting distance on ridge; that was interow spacingintrarow spacing, and about 28,500$\pm$71 plants/ha. CBBS didn't need work and equipment to raise seedlings. PS and DSAB grew taller to 140.5 and 143.3cm, respectively, than others at 150 days after planting. In the changes of plant height, PS and DSAB showed taller than others during growth period, cuttings, CBBS, and CBAS grew rapidly in middle growth stage. Excepting main stem and petiole length, other characters were significant for seedling. Fresh weights were different among seedlings. Even though the yield of plants grown from CBAS and CBBS were lower with 34.7 and 36.4 ton/ha, respectively, than 3.6 ton/ha of DSAB; its yield index were over 95%, hence, those of plants grown from cutting and PS were lower with 73 and 87%, respectively. The ratio of tuberous roots over 200g to total tuberous roots per plant was the highest from DSAB. Most of tuberous roots were under 200g per tuberous root from cuttings. CBBS, CBAS, and DSAB are suitable to use seedlings for high yield of yacono. Yacon plant by DSAB much produced tuberous root of over 200g.