ABSTRACT
Based on the high levels of spoilage of organic matter in the tropics and the large volumes of planting stock required on farms, reductions in the cost of materials for humidification treatment could result in greater efficiency of the vine-curing process. Hence two objectives of the study were: cost-cutting for large farms; and the comparison of the results from some methods of humidification with those of the humidifier and overlying wet paper method paper methods. Several methods of curing by humidification caused greater vigor of sweet potato slips before and after planting. Sweet potato ranks as the seventh most important food crop, being a staple food in the tropics, and it is a raw material for many industries. The improved ability of fresh stem-cuttings to withstand the extremes of soil–water tension inimical to early plant growth will also improve their potential for surviving the more severe conditions that may come about through climate change.
