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GREEN-Seeds.com
vegetables & herbs
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FARMER'S BOOKSHELF
An information system of crops in Hawaii
Department of Horticulture
University of Hawaii at Manoa
CASSAVA
Climate
Temperature: Adaptable to the hot- lowland tropics. Prefers growth under
25-29C. Growth stops when temperature goes below 10C. Casssava is frost-sensitive.
Altitude: Sea-level to 2000 m.
Daylength: Short days promote root enlargement.
Culture
Post Planting Treatments
- Nutrients (fertilizers used and application quantity and methods).
Under commercial conditions cassava extracts from the soil the following
nutrients: 253 Kg N/Ha; 28 kg P/Ha; 250 kg K/Ha; 42 kg Ca/Ha; 29 kg
Mg/Ha. Fertilizer applications should be made only as a supplement to
the nutrients already found in the soil at planting time. The fertilizer
should be banded at one or both sides of the rows. A 12-12-18 complete
fertilizer is recommended at rates of 450-672 kg/ha.
Soils containing less than 0.06% of exchangeable K should be supplied
with 90-120 kg/Ha of K2O. Excessive N applications will promote foliage
growth at the expense of root production. An urea application of 100-150
kg/Ha is recommended at post-planting time if N deficiency symptoms are
observed in the foliage.
- Irrigation: (water requirements of the plants). Requires 150 cm of
water well-distributed throughout the year.
Cultivars
Varieties
"Bitter"
and "Sweet" are the two general types of cassava. The "Sweet" type is
more commonly grown due to its greater yields. Colors and texture of
the root peeling is often the only factor used in separating clones
in the market.
Description
Name:
Manihot esculenta Crantz, cassava, yuca (Spanish), mandioca (portuguese),
tapioca, manioc (french).
Diseases
Bacterial
blight (Xanthomonas manihotis). Control by using disease-free
cuttings and by using tolerant cultivars. Also controlled by delaying
planting toward end of rainy season. Also controlled with foliar applications
of Pseudomonas fluorescens and P. putida strains (4 times
per month) in Colombia.
Brown
leaf spot (Cercospora henningsii). Use resistant or tolerant
cultivars.
Weeds
Weeds
are best controlled through a proper rotation scheme and with proper
pre-planting cultivation to prevent germination of weeds. Pre-emergence
herbicides are very effective to control weeds in cassava. Weeding is
recommended at 4-5 weeks after planting and at 8 weeks after planting
until crop ground-cover is complete.
Fertilizer
Type of soil
 Grows well under
a wide range of soils but prefers porous, friable soils with some organic
matter content and depth of 30-40 cm.
Drainage requirements.
Will not survive extended waterlogged conditions.
Nutritional Profile
of Soil. Prefers soils with pH between 6-7, and clay content < 18% Will
not tolerate saline conditions. Depending on cultivars, high yields of cassava
can be obtained with pH values as low as 4.5 with 60% exchangeable Al3+
present. Land Preparation
Land for cassava
cultiation is first ploughed and then harrowed or disked. Thereafter the
cassava may be planted on the flat, on ridges, or in furrows. For furrows,
make them 10 cm deep, and place the cuttings horizontally in the direction
of the furrow. In areas where drainage is a problem, the land is heaped
in mounds or ridges, and the cassava is planted on the crest.
Handling of the Crop
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USDA treatments and requirements. Cassava is highly perishable and
has a poor storage quality. Cassava is thus very susceptible to
mechanical damage and bruising. The tubers should be cured at relatively
high temperatures and relative humidities. Cure at 25 to 40C and
85 RH for suberization to occur in 1 to 4 days, and to allow for
the formation of a new cork layer around the wounds about 3 to 5
days later.
Classification: thick root, brown skin, white tissue. The root
should be 150-250 mm (6-10 in) long. Pre-cooling: Pre-cool with hydrocooler
or with forced air. Sensitive to bruising during handling. Transport
in highway and piggyback trailers and van containers. Transport and
storage life-time = 1-2 months.
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Packing (no. lbs/box; box type). Full telescoping fiberboard boxes,
23 kg (50 lbs.) with excelsior or paper wrapping and padding.
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Cleaning (methods and requirements). Post-harvest dip in 1% Clorox.
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Waxing (type of wax and quantity/methods). Apply an aqueous 2.2%
fungicidal wax solution containing 17% triethanolamine and 5% ortho-phenyl-phenol.
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Vacuum packing. Not-applicable.
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Chemical treatments (fungicides etc.). Treat with sodium hipochlorate
to reduce decomposition. Other sprays could include: thiabendazole,
benomyl and aminobutane.
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Hot water treatments, if necessary. Not-applicable.
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Refrigeration requirements (after harvest and during treatment).
Once harvested roots are usable for 7-10 days. With carefull handling
shelf life can be increased to 1-2 weeks. Store at 0-5C (32-41F).
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Humidity requirements. Store at 85-90 RH.
Harvest
Expected yield per acre
(based upon specific planting density). About 30 MT at a density of 10,375
plants/ha.
Timing based upon
yields. 12 months after planting. Maturity Indices (days, etc.)
Cassava can be
harvested more or less whenever it is needed beginning about 7 months after
harvest (MAH). Harvest at 7-16 MAP. Cultivars and climate influence maturity
of cassava. The early types mature at about 6 MAP. The greatest yields are
achieved at about 9-12 MAP. Prolonged maturity periods, however, turn the
tubers fibrous and poor in quality. Methods of Harvest
Plant tops are
cut at 50 cm from the soil surface 1-2 weeks prior to harvest. Roots are
pooled from the ground by hand.
Insects
Mites (Mononychellus
tanajoa). Use tolerant cultivars and plant at the beginning of the wet
season. Encourage buildup of predators.
Thrips (Frankliniella
williamsi). Use resitant cultivars.
Cassava hornworm
(Erinnysis ello). Parasitism by Trichogramma spp. and paper
wasp (Polistes sp.)
Market/Uses
Availability
Year-round from
Florida, Mexico, Central America, South America, Antillas. Import and other
World Production Data
The estimated
total world production of cassava is about 120 million MT, with Africa,
the Far East, and South America producing about 35%, 35% and 27% of world
production, respectively. US Costs of Production (per hectare)
According to 1978
estimates for cassava production in Southern Florida: Total production costs
per hectare= $1,830.
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Growing Total- 38% (percent of total cost of production).
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1.1. Land rent- 7%
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1.2. Fertilizer- 9%
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1.3. Cuttings- 3%
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1.4. Spray and dust- 2%
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1.5. Machine hire- 3%
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1.6. Herbicides- 0.03%
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1.7. Weeding (labor)- 12%
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Harvest Total- 61%
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2.1. Containers- 34%
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2.2. Pulling and packing- 27%
Planting
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Planting material. Healthy stem cuttings 15-20 cm long, taken
from mature mid-plant sections (10-12 seed pieces per plant).
Make the cuttings just before planting.
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Preplanting treatment. Dip or soak stem cuttings in fungicide
and when needed add minor elements to dip. A dipping formula can
include (per liter of water): Dithane M-22 (maneb) 2.2 g; Antracol
(propineb) 1.2 g; Vitigran 35% (copper oxychloride) 2.0 g; and
Malathion WP 4% (malathion) 5.0 g. The dip should also include
IAA at 800 ppm to induce rooting. After being soaked for 3 min,
the stakes should be allowed to dry before being stored or used
for planting. This treatment will protect the cuttings from attack
by soil-born pathogens and by surface pests such as mites and
mealybugs.
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Depth of Planting. Plant the stems cuttings (1 per hole) in a
horizontal position to a depth of 5-10 cm. Stem cuttings are carried
by a wagon (usually pulled by a tractor) and placed in the rows.
The cuttings are properly placed and covered afterwards.
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Timing of planting (crop cycle). Planted at any time of the year
when supplemental irrigation is available.
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Planting density (expected germination). Plant cuttings at a spacing
of 1.2 x 0.8 m (10,375 plants/ Ha). The exact spacing depends
on the cultivar utilized. If the cuttings have been planted in
moist soil under favourable conditions, they produce sprouts and
adventitious roots within a week. Expected germination is 100%
with healthy planting material.
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Green - Seeds Co., Ltd.
81/10B Ho Van Hue Street, Phu Nhuan District, Ward 9, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 (8) 847 6901 - Fax: +84 (8) 844 1392 - Email: info@green-seeds.com
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