International Research Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Volume-1, Issue-6 (November 2014) ISSN: (2349-4077) A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International e-Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories International Research Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences (IRJNAS) Website: www.aarf.asia . Email: editoraarf@gmail.com , editor@aarf.asia Page 149 EFFECT OF PRE-PLANTING TREATMENTS OF MINISETT CORMS WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIC AND INORGANIC SUBSTANCES ON SPROUTING AND YIELD OF ELEPHANT FOOT YAM (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius Dennst.) Dr. Sarita Sahu 1 and Dr. Vijay Kumar 2 1Assistant professor, RMD College of Agriculture and research station, Ambikapur (C.G.) 2 Professor, Department of Horticulture, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Raipur ABSTRACT Results over two years indicated that among the different pre-planting treatments thiourea at 400 ppm (10.00 days) recorded minimum number of days to first emergence and maximum sprouting per cent (97.22 per cent) which showed 24.26 per cent increase in sprouting over control treatment. The minimum number of days to 50 per cent emergence was recorded under KNO 3 at 250 ppm (33.33) followed thiourea at 400 ppm (33.50). The pre-planting treatment of minisetts with thiourea at 400 ppm resulted highest corm yield (12.57 t ha -1 ) and this treatment showed maximum increase in corm yield (31.07 per cent) over control treatment. Keywords: Elephant foot yam, sprouting, yield, thiourea, KNO 3 , GA 3 INTRODUCTION Elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius Dennst.) is one of the important tuber crops widely cultivated in sub-tropical regions for its underground food reserves. Traditionally, elephant foot yam is propagated through corms and cormels. Whole corm or cut corm pieces weighing about 500 g to 750 g with a part of apical meristem is mainly used as planting material. A great portion (about 25 per cent) of the harvested produce is lost as source of planting material. Gajendra variety of elephant foot yam is high yielding, free from acridity and it is popularly grown all over India as well as Chhattisgarh. Elephant foot yam tubers remain dormant for 2-3 months (Kay, 1987 and Anon., 1993). As a result of this, planting and harvesting are to be done at a particular time of the year. Hence it necessitates to break the dormancy by use of organic and inorganic substances so that the planting materials could be made ready for planting early in the season to ensure early yields and lucrative