Yield Trials of Steroid-Producing Dioscorea on Florida's Everglades Peat Soils

Four steroid-bearing clones of Dioscorea tested in a replicated varietal trial on Everglades peat soil near Belle Glade, Florida, included three introductions of D. spiculiflora Hemsl. and one selection of D. composita Hemsl. On an acre basis, D. composita, P. I. 201783, produced over 21 tons of dry tubers and 1,049 lbs of crude sapogenins. Tuber and sapogenin yields from the highest producing D. spiculiflora, P. I. 252887, were approximately 1/3 and 1/2 respectively, of these amounts. Yield differences were not significant between plots harvested 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 years after planting. The failure of tubers to increase in size in the last growing season was attributed to the restriction on growth imposed by the high water table at the test site.