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Leaf-bud Cuttings: Rapid Yam Multiplication Method

Yam leaf-bud cuttings, rapid quality seed production!

Leaf-bud Cuttings is a rapid multiplication method that uses small segments of yam vines, each with one leaf and a bud, to produce mini seed yam plants in nursery beds. With the right shade, watering, and pest management, these vine cuttings root and grow into planting materials in 16-20 weeks. Unlike traditional propagation that uses large, food-grade tubers (200–1000 g), this method uses materials that would otherwise go unused, maximizing resource use. A single mother plant can produce 100–300 new seed plants. For seed entrepreneurs, this means lower input costs, reduced transport and storage challenges, and a faster turnaround for market-ready seed yam. It’s a business-friendly technology ideal for scaling up production and meeting farmer demand.

2

This technology is pre-validated.

9•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 9/9; level of use 7/9

IP

Open source / open access

Problem

  • Create a new, profitable seed market: With high multiplication rates, agribusinesses can quickly produce large volumes of quality yam seeds for sale to farmers at lower cost and higher margins.
  • Use waste to generate value: Yam vines—previously not efficiently used—can now produce large quantities of planting material, increasing the value of the crop without added cost.
  • Deliver cleaner, uniform seed products: LBC avoids diseases typically spread by tubers, providing businesses with a cleaner, higher-quality product that builds trust with customers.
  • Accelerate adoption of new varieties: Reliable vine-based seed makes it easier to introduce and scale improved yam varieties across regions and value chains.
  • Reduce logistics costs: Unlike bulky traditional seed tubers, vine cuttings produce smaller but more productive seeds that are easier to handle and distribute.

Solution

  • Create a new, profitable seed market: With high multiplication rates, agribusinesses can quickly produce large volumes of quality yam seeds for sale to farmers, at lower cost and higher margins.
  • Use waste to generate value: Yam vines—previously discarded—can now be used to produce planting material, increasing the value of the crop without added cost.
  • Deliver cleaner, uniform seed products: LBC avoids diseases typically spread by tubers, giving businesses a cleaner, higher-quality product that builds trust with customers.
  • Accelerate adoption of new varieties: Reliable vine-based seed makes it easier to introduce and scale improved yam varieties across regions and value chains.
  • Reduce logistics costs: Unlike bulky seed tubers, vine cuttings are lightweight and easier to handle and distribute.

Key points to design your business plan

The Leaf-bud Cutting (LBC) technology offers a commercially viable, high-return alternative to conventional yam seed systems. By multiplying yam from vine segments at a rate of 1:300, compared to 1:3 using tubers, LBC drastically reduces the volume of seed tubers required—freeing up more of the harvest for the food market. This lowers seed production costs by up to 60%, opens up a scalable agribusiness opportunity, and ensures clean, uniform planting material free of soil-borne pests. With minimal infrastructure needs, LBC enables seed companies, aggregators, and agri-startups to rapidly scale up quality seed yam supply, increase farmer adoption of improved varieties, and grow their footprint in the high-demand yam value chain.

To integrate this technology into your agribusiness model, consider the following key steps:

  • Assess Market Demand: Estimate demand for seed yam across production zones and calculate supply targets.
  • Develop Propagation Sites: Set up cost-effective nurseries or partner with local outgrowers for decentralized propagation.
  • Upskill Technical Teams: Train staff in vine cutting and nursery management to ensure quality control and reduce losses.
  • Build Demand through Communication: Use print, radio, and demo plots to show farmers the economic benefits of LBC-derived seed yam.
  • Secure Partnerships: Collaborate with IITA to ensure access to elite yam varieties and technical backstopping.

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

This group is also curious and follows up to see the outcome of the technology. Most of them have a good understanding of yam production and have practised it using tubers, as in the traditional system. Some have collected vines to try out, and others have followed the entire process at the research station or with partners who are practising. Many are eager to produce on a large scale.

The poor: Positive medium

The primary impact on people in this category is through the provision of labour to those who practice the technology.

Under 18: Positive medium

This group is curious and wants to find out if it is possible to produce yams from vines. They lack extensive farming experience, are eager to learn, but lack the resources to establish seed production units.

Women: Positive high

Where the technology is used, more women than men are usually engaged in preparing the LBCs because they are more patient and careful in handling the vines to avoid damage. Some women's groups have shown a strong interest in starting small-scale production. Training and vines will be provided for them to start this season.

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

The technology works well in all regions where yam is cultivated, specifically where temperatures range from 22 to 30 °C and rainfall is between 1,000 and 1,400 mm per year. However, due to the short crop duration, the technology will work with less rainfall. Additionally, it works well in controlled conditions where temperature and water supply are regulated.

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

With seed yam production using LBCs, more seed is produced in a limited area, with potential environmental benefits. The risk of not having seed from a second harvest of a food yam crop due to a shortened rainy season is eliminated.

Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity

In traditional yam cultivation, trees are cut down to provide stakes for the plants. With the LBC technology, the use of trellis, which significantly reduces the quantity of stakes required, is promoted.

Water use: A bit less water used

The traditional method of seed production is completely rainfed. With the LBCs, although water must be applied during the first two weeks of planting, the crop duration is shorter (4-5 months instead of 7-10 months in traditional systems).

Soil quality: Not yet estimated

When organic mulch, such as fermented rice husk, is used, soil improvement occurs; however, the magnitude of this impact has not been evaluated.

Countries with a green colour
Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour
Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour
Tested
Countries with a blue colour
Testing ongoing
Egypt Equatorial Guinea Ethiopia Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burundi Burkina Faso Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Côte d’Ivoire Eritrea Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Cameroon Kenya Libya Liberia Madagascar Mali Malawi Morocco Mauritania Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo Rwanda Zambia Senegal Sierra Leone Zimbabwe Somalia South Sudan Sudan South Africa Eswatini Tanzania Togo Tunisia Chad Uganda Western Sahara Central African Republic Lesotho
Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country Testing ongoing Tested Adopted
Ghana No ongoing testing Tested Adopted
Nigeria No ongoing testing Tested Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ Subtropic - warm Subtropic - cool Tropic - warm Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Sustainable Development Goal 2: zero hunger
Goal 2: zero hunger

The technology enhances the production and productivity of yam seeds, leading to increased yam yields and more food.

Sustainable Development Goal 5: gender equality
Goal 5: gender equality

In scaling the technology, women and youths are targeted because they can fit easily into the niche of seed production, which is simple and does not require much capital, especially land.

Sustainable Development Goal 1: no poverty
Goal 1: no poverty

Its increases yam production and food availability.

Sustainable Development Goal 12: responsible production and consumption
Goal 12: responsible production and consumption

Its promotes efficient use of planting material and reduces waste.

  1. Source quality planting materials, which are minitubers of less than 10 g (preferably 2-5 g) or plantlets from a reputable breeder, foundation, or certified seed source.
  2. Plant seeds in a suitable substrate in a screen house.
  3. Apply water and nutrients as necessary.
  4. Stake plants individually to ease vine harvest and the preparation of cuttings.
  5. At 10-12 weeks after planting, cut vines from mother plants, leaving 2-3 nodes at the base of the mother plant.
  6. Immerse the cut vine in clean water in a basin.
  7. Prepare a fungicide solution in another basin: 2 g of a broad-spectrum fungicide, such as Mancozeb (80%), in 1 L of water. Mix thoroughly.
  8. Remove the previously cut vine from the water and detangle the vines carefully to avoid damage to leaves and buds. 
  9. Make clean cuts through the stem, with each LBC containing one bud, one leaf and a 1 cm stem piece on either side of the node.
  10. Dip the LBCs in the fungicide for 10 minutes. During this process, ensure that basic personal protective measures are observed by using plastic hand gloves and a nose mask.
  11. Remove the cuttings and plant immediately in a moist substrate in containers in the screen house or on beds in the field.
  12. For field planting, prepare beds with a width of 1-1.2 m and a length of your convenience. Apply an organic mulch such as fermented rice husk if available.
  13. Provide adequate shade before planting in the field.
  14. After planting, apply water to ensure that the leaves of the cuttings stay turgid, especially during the first two weeks. With proper care, rooting typically begins about eight days after planting. Continue watering if there is irregular rainfall and if planting is done in a screen house.
  15. Remove the shade from the field crop when plants have produced shoots with 3-5 leaves, about six weeks after planting.
  16. Stake plants at the 5- to 10-leaf stage.
  17. Fertiliser application will depend on the soil fertility status. Generally, NPK 15:15:15 is recommended.
  18. From the 2–3 nodes left on the mother plants, new vines will grow. Once they develop, repeat the process of leaf bud cutting preparation and planting.
  19. Harvest the crop carefully at 4-5 months after planting or at the time of senescence. 
  20. Sort out any diseased tubers.
  21. Treat the healthy tubers in a mixture of fungicide and insecticide and spread them out to dry.
  22. Store the seeds in a cool, well-ventilated place with high relative humidity to reduce dehydration.

Last updated on 1 July 2025