Post by Ismail AbdulAzeez on May 20, 2017 1:03:52 GMT 1
THE CUTTINGS
Pieces (cuttings) of the cassava stem are the standard planting material for cassava. In practice, cuttings 20-30cm long are used. Tender stem portions should not be used.
Cuttings used for planting should not be stored for long periods before being used.
THE LAND
Land on which cassava is to be planted must be cleared and ploughed. Then the soil could be made into mounds or into ridges. Alternatively, planting may be done on ploughed soil that has not yet been made into mounds or ridges.
PLANTING PROCESS
Suring planting, the cutting is inserted into the soil at an angle of 45°, such that only about a third of the cutting remains visible above the ground.
In this process, it must be ensured that the cuttings are not planted upside down.
THE SPACING
Cassava is usually planted at a spacing of 1 metre in rows that are 1 metre apart. The overall spacing is therefore lXlm. For varieties that are small in stature, closer spacing may be used.
PLANTING TIME
Cassava can be planted at any time during the rainy season. It is best to plant it as early as possible once the rains have become regular.
This enables the plants to make adequate growth before the dry season begins and growth stops.
If conditions are favourable the planted cassava cutting produces roots and sprouts within a week after planting. The early part of the plant’s life is devoted to increasing the leaf area and extending the root system. The formation of tubers begins at about 6-8weeks after planting.
WEED CONTROL
Weed control in cassava is mostly needed during the first 2-3months. During this period after planting, weed control is the task that requires most attention in the cassava plot. After this time, the leaves of adjacent cassava plants tend to overlap so that they completely shade the ground and make it difficult for weeds to survive. The weeds are most commonly controlled in West Africa by hand tools like hoes and machetes.
The first weeding is done 25-30days after planting; the second weeding at about 60days after planting, and a third if necessary, at about 90days after planting. Beyond the 2nd or 3rd weeding, no further weeding is needed on the plot until harvest. The use of herbicides to control weeds in cassava is now on the increase.
This method is less laborious than weeding with hand tools. Some of the herbicides that have so far been found to be effective for weed control in cassava include Dinron, Atrazine and Fluometuron.
USE OF FERTILIZER
Because cassava has a high requirement for potassium, the fertilizers recommended for it are usually high in this mineral. The exact type and rate of fertilizer recommended will vary from place to place and from soil to soil. In general, however, it is recommended to apply a 12:12:18 fertilizer at the rate of 450-672kg/ha. Manures and compost are sometimes used for cassava.
HARVESTING
Cassava is ready for harvest at about 12-15months after planting. The exact time for harvesting depends on the variety. If harvesting is done too early, the yield will be low, and if harvesting is delayed too long, the tubers became very fibrous and woody, and their quality will be low.
Most cassava harvesting in West Africa is done by means of hand tools. A machete is used to cut off the stem, the ground is loosened around the tubers and then the tubers are pulled up by hand.
Because cassava tubers deteriorate if stored for more than 2 or 3days, the farmer usually harvest only what he needs at any given time. As such, harvesting on a particular field may be spread over a period of several months.
Good yields of cassava 7,000 – 9,000kg/ha.
Pieces (cuttings) of the cassava stem are the standard planting material for cassava. In practice, cuttings 20-30cm long are used. Tender stem portions should not be used.
Cuttings used for planting should not be stored for long periods before being used.
THE LAND
Land on which cassava is to be planted must be cleared and ploughed. Then the soil could be made into mounds or into ridges. Alternatively, planting may be done on ploughed soil that has not yet been made into mounds or ridges.
PLANTING PROCESS
Suring planting, the cutting is inserted into the soil at an angle of 45°, such that only about a third of the cutting remains visible above the ground.
In this process, it must be ensured that the cuttings are not planted upside down.
THE SPACING
Cassava is usually planted at a spacing of 1 metre in rows that are 1 metre apart. The overall spacing is therefore lXlm. For varieties that are small in stature, closer spacing may be used.
PLANTING TIME
Cassava can be planted at any time during the rainy season. It is best to plant it as early as possible once the rains have become regular.
This enables the plants to make adequate growth before the dry season begins and growth stops.
If conditions are favourable the planted cassava cutting produces roots and sprouts within a week after planting. The early part of the plant’s life is devoted to increasing the leaf area and extending the root system. The formation of tubers begins at about 6-8weeks after planting.
WEED CONTROL
Weed control in cassava is mostly needed during the first 2-3months. During this period after planting, weed control is the task that requires most attention in the cassava plot. After this time, the leaves of adjacent cassava plants tend to overlap so that they completely shade the ground and make it difficult for weeds to survive. The weeds are most commonly controlled in West Africa by hand tools like hoes and machetes.
The first weeding is done 25-30days after planting; the second weeding at about 60days after planting, and a third if necessary, at about 90days after planting. Beyond the 2nd or 3rd weeding, no further weeding is needed on the plot until harvest. The use of herbicides to control weeds in cassava is now on the increase.
This method is less laborious than weeding with hand tools. Some of the herbicides that have so far been found to be effective for weed control in cassava include Dinron, Atrazine and Fluometuron.
USE OF FERTILIZER
Because cassava has a high requirement for potassium, the fertilizers recommended for it are usually high in this mineral. The exact type and rate of fertilizer recommended will vary from place to place and from soil to soil. In general, however, it is recommended to apply a 12:12:18 fertilizer at the rate of 450-672kg/ha. Manures and compost are sometimes used for cassava.
HARVESTING
Cassava is ready for harvest at about 12-15months after planting. The exact time for harvesting depends on the variety. If harvesting is done too early, the yield will be low, and if harvesting is delayed too long, the tubers became very fibrous and woody, and their quality will be low.
Most cassava harvesting in West Africa is done by means of hand tools. A machete is used to cut off the stem, the ground is loosened around the tubers and then the tubers are pulled up by hand.
Because cassava tubers deteriorate if stored for more than 2 or 3days, the farmer usually harvest only what he needs at any given time. As such, harvesting on a particular field may be spread over a period of several months.
Good yields of cassava 7,000 – 9,000kg/ha.
