CassavaGrowing

CommerciallyinNigeria

ICS-Nigeria

A.A.Adekunle,A.Dixon,J.Ojurongbe,P.Ilona,L.Muthada,S.Adisa

CommerciallyinNigeria

HowtogrowagoodcassavacropinNigeria

Before... Then... Now...

Ibrahim and Saratu planted cassava the traditional way and harvested 5-6 tons per hectare. After using their cassava for food, they barely had enough to sell.

• Ibrahim and Saratu harvest over 20 tons per hectare of cassava

• Their family is well fed and healthy• They have enough money from sale

of their cassava crop.

2

Ibrahim contacted the nearest Agric Extension Ofi cer for information and adopted the improved production tech-nologies.

Cassavagrowspoorlyinclayeyandstonysoils.

Step1.SelectagoodsiteCassavaisgrowninallagro-ecologicalzonesinNigeria.Itgrowspoorlyinclayeyandstonysoils.Also,deep-loamysoilswithmediumsoilfertilityandgooddrainagegivegoodcassavayields.Notethefollowingwhenidentifyingsoilsforcassavaproduction:

Deeploamsoilssupportabroadspectrumofweeds,especiallythosewithbroadleaves.

Goodsoil(loamy)canbemouldedintoaballthatbreaksunderslightpressure.

Flatorgentleslopes. Donotusestony,clayeyorwater-loggedsoils.

3

Apieceoflandwithagoodhistorybypastusers.

SOILTYPE VEGETATION TOPOGRAPHY SOILPHYSICALPROPERTIES LANDHISTORY

Step2.PrepareyourlandproperlyThemethodoflandpreparationdependsonsoiltypeanddepthofthewatertable.

Practiceminimumtillageinsandysoiltoconservesoil,organicmatter,moisture,andreducesoilerosion.

Preparelandtoimprovesoilcontactwithstemcuttings.Inshalloworhardsoils,increasetopsoilvolumeperplantforbetterestablishment.

Makeridgesormoundstoreducewaterlogginginpoorlydrainedsoils.

Poorlandpreparationresultsinpoorplantestablishmentandincreasedweedcompetition. 4

Step3.Choosedesirablevarieties

Thebestcassavavarieties:

•Growfast•Givegoodyields•Toleratemajordiseasesandpests•Matureearly•Givehighrootyields(freshanddry)•Meetend-usersqualitycharacteristics•Storewellingroundformorethan

18months

Forhighyieldingandhealthyplantingmaterials,contact:

•InternationalInstituteofTropicalAgriculture(IITA)

•NationalSeedService(NSS)•StateoficesofAgricultural

DevelopmentPrograms(ADP)•TheCassavaGrowersAssociation

(CSA)

ForalistofhighyieldingresistantvarietiesavailablefromIITA,seepages20&21.

Youneedtoselectthevarietywiththehighestperformanceinyourfarmsiteandenvirons.

Theimprovedvarietieslistedbelowarethosecurrentlybeingusedbyfarmers.

5

4

Startwiththerightvariety,fortherightoutput,andfortherightincome.

Variety Maturity(months)

Yield(tons/ha)

Diseases/pesttolerance

Drymattercontent

Uses

30572 12 25–35 Moderate HighGari,fufu,starch,ethanol,&animalfeed4(2)1425 12 20–35 Moderate Medium

Step4.SelecthealthycassavastemsSelectplantingmaterialsfromhealthycassavaplants.Theseareplants(8–15monthsold),whichhaveminimalstemandleafdamagebypestsanddiseases.

Avoidcassavastemswithdiseasesandpests.

Selectvigorousandhealthycassavaplants. Avoidplantsshowingsymptomsofdamagebypestsanddiseases.

Selecthardwoodportionofstem.Donotselectstemcuttingsfromthetopgreenstemsandbottomportionsofplants.

6

Step5.PrepareandhandlecuttingsproperlyHandlehardwoodstemsproperlytopreventbruisesanddamagetothenodesandtoimprovesprouting.Usehardwoodcuttingsforplantingbecausetheysproutbetter.

Cutstemintocuttingsof20–25cmlong.

Packstems(1meterlong)inbundlesof50andtiefortransportation.

Treatyourstemcuttingsagainstinfectionusingabroadspectrumfungicideandinsecticidee.g.Benlate(fungicide)andPerfeckthion(insecticide).

Poorpreparationandhand-lingofstemcuttingscouldresultinpoorsprouting,rooting,andlowyield. 7

Step6.SelectthecorrectplantingtimePlantingdaterecommendationsshoulditwithinlocalfarmingcalendars.

Inzoneswithtworainyseasons,plantatthebeginningofthemajorgrowingseason(April–May)orminorgrowingseason(August).

Inthesavannahzones,plantatthebeginningofthegrowingseason(May–June).

Dryseasonplantingadverselyaffectssproutingofstemcuttings. 8

Plantcassavaatthecorrectplantingtimetoensure:

•Healthysprouting•Goodcrop establishment

Dryseasonplantingisnotrecommendedwheretherainsstopearlyorthewatertableislow.

Step7.MethodsofplantingcassavacuttingsCassavastemcuttingsmaybeplantedvertically,atanangleorhorizontally,dependingonsoiltypes.

Plantverticallyinsandysoilswith2/3oflengthofcuttingbelowthesoiltoproducedeeperlyingstoragerootsforanchorage.

Plantatanangleinloamysoilstoproducemorecompactlyarrangedroots.

Improperplantingmethodscouldmakeplantslodge,producesmallroots,anddificulttoharvest.

Burythestemcuttingcompletelytoincreasestemproduction.Storagerootsaremanybuttheyarecomparativelysmallerinsize.

9

GUARDAGAINSTLODGING FORMULTIPLESTEMPRODUCTION FOREASEOFHARVESTING

Step8.PlantatthecorrectplantspacingDistancesbetweencassavaplantsmainlydependonthevarietyandonthecroppingsystem(solecroporasintercrop).

Forsolecropsplantat1mx1mforthebranchingtypes.Forthenon-branchingtypesplanrat1mx0.8m.

Forintercropping,plantatawiderspacing,1mx1.5mforthebranchingtypes,and1mx1mforthenon-branchingtypes.

Toowidespacingbetweencassavaplantsleadstoincreasedweedcompetitionandpooryieldsperunitarea. 10

Step9.Controlweedsearly

Weedcompetitionreducescanopydevelopmentandrootbulking.

Earlyweedingpreventsweedsfromcompetingwiththecropfornutrients,water,lightandspace.Combinedifferentculturalpracticestocontrolweeds.

[1]Manualweedcontrol(handweeding).

11

[2]Usecovercrops(Melon)tosuppressweeds.

[3]Useinter-rowweeders(mechanical).

[4]Usechemicalstocontrolweeds.

Step9b.HerbicideuseinrootandtubercropsHERBICIDE TIME OF PRODUCT AMOUNT OF CROP SAFE WEED APPLICATION RATE (L/HA) CHEMICAL/CP15 FOR CONTROLLED

Alachlor PE 4 300mls Cassava,yam annual(Lasso) Sweetpotato grasses

Atrazine+metolachor PE 5 375mls Cassava,yam broad(Primagram/Primextra) spectrum

Atrazine+Alachlor PE 5 375mls Cassava,yam annualbroad(Boxer/Lariat) leavesandgrasses

Floumeturon PE 5 375mls Cassava,yamgrassandannual(Cotoran500FW) broadleaves

Paraquat PEm 2 150mls. allweeds

Glyphosate PP 3 225mls. allweeds

12

Glyphsate(Roundup)andParaquatemaybeusedasapre-plantingherbicidetokillfallowvegetation.Thelattercanbeusedaspost-emergencetokillweedsifshieldisusedtokeepchemicaloffthecrop(ContactExtensionoficeronherbicideuse).

•PP—Pre-planting•PE—Pre-emergence•PEm—Post-emergence•DeliveryRate=200L/haofchemicalsolution

•Example:TosprayAlachlorat4L/hausinga15Lknapsacksprayer,youneed4x15

200

•Amountofchemicalpersprayingtank=productrate(L/ha)xsprayingcapacity

Step10.Fertilizeyourcassavaplant

Cassavaplantedonpoorsoilsdeveloppoorlyandareeasilyinfestedbypestsanddiseases.

Improvethephysicalandchemicalpropertiesofyoursoil.

Addmanuresuchascowdungorpoultrydroppingsatlandpreparation

Inareaswhereploughingisdone.plough-inleguminouscovercropssuchasMucunatoimprovethesoilphysicalandchemicalproperties.

ApplyNPK15:15:15at4-8bags/hadependingonfertilityofthesoil.Otherfertilizertypes,particularlythosecontainingmicronutrients,arealsorecommended(Seeyourextensionagent).

13

Step11.Intercropcassavawithothercrops

Solecassavacroppingmayresultinineficientuseoflandspace.

Cassava/Maizeandcassava/legumeintercropshavebeenfoundtogivebetterlandutilization,reducesoilerosionandriskofcroploss.

Forsolecropcassava,plantoncrestofridgeorheap. Wherecassavaisgrownasanintercrop,considerthebranchinghabitsofthecassavaandthecomponentcropsandadjustspacingtosuitthecrops.

14

Cassavaisplantedonthecrestandmaizeisplantedonthesideoftheridgeorheap.

Step12.Controlofdiseases

Diseasesreducegrowthandyieldofcassava.Controlthem!

AfricanCassavaMosaicVirus(ACMV),CassavaBacterialBlight(CBB)CassavaAnthracnoseDisease(CAD)andRootRotaresomeofthemajordiseasesattackingcassava.

Selectcuttingsfromcassavavarietiesthatareresistanttothecommondiseasesinyourarea.

Rogueoutdiseasedplantsandburntoreducespreadofdiseases.

15

Avoidplantsthatsufferfromacomplexofdiseasesandpests

Step13.Controlpests

Pestsreducegrowthandyieldofcassavascontrolthem!

Mealybug,greenmite,termitesandvariegatedgrasshoppersarethemajorinsectpestsofcassava.Thebestwaytocontrolpestsistogrowresistantvarieties.

Greenmitedamage.

16

Chemicalcontrolofpests.AhealthyCassavaplant.

Step14.Harvestyourcassavaatappropriatetime

Delayedharvestingmaycauserootstobecomeibrousorrot.

Harvestassoonasthetubersaremature.Optimumtimeforharvestingvariesaccordingtothevariety,climateandsoilfactors.

Harvestearlymaturingvarietiesbetween9–12monthsafterplanting. Harvestfullseasonvarietiesbetween12–18monthsafterplanting.

17

Incoldenvironments(JosPlateau),harvestingcanbedelayeduntil18–24monthsafterplanting

StorecassavastemsproperlyEnsurethatonlymaturehealthycassavastemsarestored.

Long-termstorageofstemsisdificultbecauseofrapiddehydration.

Forlongstorage(1-3months)tiestemsintobundlesandstoreuprightunderashadedtree.Moistenthesoilregularly

Forshortstorage(2–4weeks)underopenmarketcondition,putstemsonahorizontalsupportundershade.

Duringthedryseason,storestemsuprightinpitsunderatree.Applywaterwheneverthesoilbecomesdry.

18

Goodharvestandproitsbringjoy!

19

Highyieldingresistantvarieties—1ThevarietieslistedbelowwerecarefullyselectedbyIITAtomeetagroecologicalandend-userrequirementinNigeria.

Variety Maturity(months)

Yield(tons/ha)

Disease/pesttolerance

Drymattercontent

Uses

91/02324 12 35–45 High High

Gari,fufu,starch,ethanol,lour,&animalfeed

92/005792/0067 12 25–30 High High

92/032692B/0006892B/0006194/056194/002695/0289

12 30–35 Moderate High

95/016696/016096/163296/156597/476398/2226

12 35–40 High High Gari,fufu,starch,ethanol,lour,&animalfeed

M98/0040M98/006898/0002

12 40–45 High High Gari,fufu,starch,ethanol,lour,&animalfeed

98/058199/2123 12 30–32 High High Gari,fufu,starch,ethanol,lour,&

animalfeed

20

Thesevarietiesarecurrentlybeingevaluatedincollaborationwith:

•NationalRootCropsResearchInstitute,NCRI

• AgriculturalDevelopmentPro-grams,ADPs

• ThePrivateInvestors

Highyieldingresistantvarieties—2

Variety Maturity(months)

Yield(tons/ha)

Disease/pesttolerance

Drymattercontent

Uses

94/003995/037996/052396/060396/156996/164297/016297/021197/220597/476997/477998/051098/210198/213299/3073TME419

12 30–35 High High Gari,fufu,starch,ethanol,lour,&animalfeed

21

ThevarietieslistedbelowwerecarefullyselectedbyIITAtomeetagroecologicalandend-userrequirementinNigeria.

Thesevarietiesarecurrentlybeingevaluatedincollaborationwith:

•NationalRootCropsResearchInstitute,NCRI

• AgriculturalDevelopmentPro-grams,ADPs

• ThePrivateInvestors

InformationandCommunicationSupportforAgriculturalGrowthinNigeriawww.ics-nigeria.org

ICS-Nigeria

International Institute of Tropical Agriculturewww.iita.org

UnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopmentwww.usaid.gov

Information and Communication Support for AgriculturalGrowth in Nigeria (ICS-Nigeria) is a project which aims toincreasethequantityandqualityofinformationavailableforincreasedagriculturalproduction,processing,andmarketingandalsostrengthenthe capacity of farmer assistance organizations to package anddisseminateinformationandagriculturaltechnologiestofarmersforthealleviationofruralpoverty.

Inrecentpast,investmentinthesupportservicestoNigerianagriculturehasbeenneglectedwith the result that this sector hasnot realized itsfullpotentialtocontributetotheprosperityandeconomicdevelopmentof the country. Meanwhile, increasing population pressure and theaccompanying need to intensify agricultural production is leading toerosionofthenaturalresourcebaseonwhichagriculturedepends.

The sustainability of production is threatened by a vicious cycle ofdeclining soil fertilityand increasingproblemsofpests,diseases,andweeds.Moreover,thelackofknowledgeonhowtoaddvaluethroughproperstorage,processing,andmarketingimpedesagriculturalgrowth.

Promisingtechnologiesexisttoaddresstheseproblems,buttheiradoptionisconstrainedbyalackofinformationpackagedinappropriateformats,

andpoorcommunicationchannelsforthisinformation,betweenfarmersand the research, extension, and education organizations that aresupposedtoaddresstheseissues.

ICS-Nigeriaaimstoassistinmeetingthesechallengesbydevelopingappropriate-format materials for disseminating information andagriculturaltechnologiestotargetusergroups,whileincreasingcapacityof farmer assistance organizations to produce information materials.At the same time, communication channelswill be reinforced so thatinformationlowisenhanced.

Agriculturaltechnologieshavebeenselectedonthebasisthattheywillleadtoagriculturalcommercializationtherebyenhancingrapidincomegeneration for farmersandprivate sectorpractitioners. Theproject istaking advantage of existing agricultural development programs inNigeria,nationalresearchinstitutes,andinternationalresearchinstitutesinandoutofNigeriatoidentifythesetechnologies.Theprojectisalsotakingadvantageofexistingsuccessfulpartnershipsarisingfromrecentandongoingprogramstoenhanceinformationlow.

ICS-NigeriaisfundedbytheUSAID.

AboutICS-Nigeria