The chemical composition of setts of cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) varied in different sections. The highest concentration of N, P and fat occurred in the youngest part but crude fibre and Ca were highest in the oldest portions. Dry matter was lowest in the youngest section. Positive linear relations were found between N and K percentage, Ca/P ratio and age of the various sections of the corm, with the highest N/P ratio towards the middle portion of the corm. The high sprouting percentage of the youngest sections of the corm was attributed to both greater bud number per given area and to the short period of their dormancy. Better establishment in the field was achieved by using setts from the oldest section of the corm, probably because they were less vulnerable to decomposition by soil micro-organisms. Positive linear relations were established between P concentration and sprouting percentage. Setts from the two oldest sections of the corm produced plants with the greatest leaf blade area, total dry weight and dry weight of various organs and it is recommended that planting setts should be obtained from the less succulent section of the corm. There were also positive linear relations between Ca concentration of setts and dry matter production in the field, and between leaf blade area at time of harvest and corm yield.