Monday, 15 February 2016
Cassava Farming in Nigeria
Cassava is a perennial woody shrub cultivated mainly for starchy root known as tuber. It grows well and performs better in tropical and sub tropical parts of the world. Nigeria is ranked the third largest producer of cassava in the world, producing over 40 million metric tonnes annually, followed by Brazil and Thailand, Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia. Cassava can grow in most soils of Nigeria, even in poor soils if water is adequately supplied and the soil is well managed with application of fertilizers. It can survive few months of drought and tolerate pests and diseases to some extent.
Soil
Cassava does well in fertile sandy loamy soil. Clay soil and stony soil are not good for cassava as they hinder root establishment. Clay soil may also retain more water than the amount required, thereby hastening rotting of tubers and causing significant loss of yields.
Land Preparation
Land preparation follows clearing of the land in preparation for planting. After slashing and stumping of woody species has been done, plant debris should be gathered for spot burning, not all over the place in order to minimize destruction of beneficial soil microbes. A well prepared soil eases establishment of roots and development of tubers. Three tillage operations: ploughing, harrowing and ridging should be done to get higher yields.
* Ploughing turns the soil over and cover weeds. It is not advisable to plough the same piece of land every year. Ploughing should be done once in 3-5 years.
* Harrowing pulverizes the soil by breaking and turning bigger particles into smaller pieces.
* Ridging heaps fertile top soil and provides good bed for root establishment. It is good for drainage of excess water and helps to follow correct spacing for optimum plant population.
Planting
Profitability of crop production starts from maintenance of optimum plant population. Plant population is calculated as area of land divided by spacing (area/spacing). The recommended spacing for cassava is based on the varieties and the purpose of production (stems or tubers). Varieties with tall stems can be planted 1m x 0.8m while varieties that branch close to the soil and form shades can be planted 1m x 1m.
Cassava stems should be cut with sharp cutlass, knife, secateur or saw that make the cut surface smooth. Rough cut surface reduces number of roots that can be formed, thereby reducing number of tubers per plant. Cassava cutting should be inserted into the soil in a slanting position of 45°, with 1/3 of the cutting above the surface and the buds pointing upwards. Under the condition of drought stem cuttings should be buried completely to a depth of 5cm in horizontal position.
Selection of Stem Cuttings
Yields and tolerance to pests and diseases are mostly considered in selecting varieties of cassava. There is no variety that is resistant to a particular pest or disease, but some are more tolerant than others.
The following varieties have high yields, tolerate certain pests and diseases and will mature in twelve months:
TME 419. 30-35 ton/ha
M96/1621. 30-40ton/ha
M98/0068. 40-45ton/ha
92/0581. 30-32ton/ha
98/0505. 30-35 ton/ha
NR8082. 30-35 ton/ha
TMS 30572
Quantity needed to be planted
Cassava stem should be cut into pieces containing 5-7 nodes and 25cm long. A bundle of cassava stems containing 50 stems will give 200 cuttings if a stem of 1m long is cut into 4. If 50 bundles are required to plant 1ha at 1mx1m spacing, 10,000 stem cuttings will be used. To ensure optimum germination and growth rate cuttings should be obtained from 8-18 months old plant.
Storing Cassava Stems:
* Put cassava bundles under a shade, with the lower portion of each stem touching the soil.
* Keep the cuttings moist and put inside a perforated polyethylene bag
* Cassava cuttings can also be buried in the soil for a short period of time.
Weeding
Three weeding operations are expected to be carried out in cassava. The first should be done within three days after planting with the use of premextra (preemergence herbicide). Premextra weakens and suppresses weed seeds, thus preventing them from germination and growth for almost three months. It's use is more effective on moist soil. Second weeding should be manual, by hands, with the use of hoes, and at about three months after planting. Third weeding should be done with the use of post emergence herbicide (contact herbicide). Systemic herbicides should be avoided in cassava. If such chemical is absorbed through the leaves or stems, the plant will be stressed and may not recover again.
Fertilizer Application
Organic and chemical fertilizers can be used for cassava. Organic fertilizers produce lasting effects in the soil because they break down after some time and release nutrients gradually. Chemical fertilizers produce rapid effects and easy to apply, but they must be used with caution. They can impair activities of soil microbes and destroy soil if used in excess. Chemical fertilizer should be applied in ring of 10 cm radius around the plant and covered with soil or placed in a band at two sides of the plant. A small match-box full of fertilizer is enough for a stand.
* Organic fertilizers should be incorporated into the soil 1 -2 weeks before planting.
* Use chemical fertilizers at the recommended rates: NPK 15:15:15; NPK 12:12:12 or NPK 12:12:17 @ 4 bags (200kg)/ha
* Micro nutrients can be added to both organic and inorganic fertilizers.
Pest and Disease Control
Pests of cassava are termites, mealy bugs, green spider mites, stem girdler, white flies, leaf rollers, termites grasshoppers and rodents and can be controlled by chemical, biological and physical methods.
Cassava diseases are cassava mosaic disease, bacteria blight, root rot and can be controlled by planting resistant varieties.
Yield Measurement
Cassava can yield between 25 and 30 tonnes per hectare if optimum plant population is maintained and good agronomic practice is adopted. Under good environmental conditions and management yield between 2.5 and 3kg is expected from a plant stand. Therefore 10,000 plant stands in one hectare can yield 25 - 30 tonnes.
Marketing of Cassava
Demand for cassava tubers is growing as a result of increase in processing for food, animal feeds and raw materials for industries. As a result, more hectares of land are being cultivated to meet the demand. Cassava products are lafun, gari, fufu, tapioca, cassava grit ( livestock feed), High Quality Cassava Flour, HQCF (confectionery), starch (syrup, binding substance and industrial alcohol), and some other products.
*** We can supply improved varieties***
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what variety is the 7 month specie
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