Gabi Production Guide

Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)

Abstract

Gabi or taro is one of the most important root crops in the Philippines. It can thrive in warm and moist marginal environments. Under upland cultivation, best results can be obtained when gabi is grown in deep, well-drained loam soil with pH ranging from 5.6-6.5 and temperature of 27-29 oC. This crop can thrive well in low-lying areas with evenly distributed rainfall, abundant supply of fresh cool water and in alluvial soil with pH and temperature requirements approximating those in upland environments. Setts and cormels are planted in rows (lowland)/furrows or flatbed (upland) at 50 x 50 cm or 75 x 50 cm at a depth of 4-5 cm (wet months) or 8-10 cm (dry months). In areas with limited soil nutrients, split application either by side dressing or broadcasting of 30-30-30 kg/ha N, P2O5, K2O is recommended during planting and after planting when the area is at field capacity. Weed competition is controlled by hand weeding or by plowing during off barring and hilling up operations. In the upland setting, planting intercrops helps in controlling water level in the paddy. Damage due to insect pests and diseases are regulated by spraying appropriate pesticides and mechanical removal of infected plants. Plants are ready for harvesting when the leaves turn yellow and petioles become short. Normally upland gabi matures earlier than the lowland genotypes.