Cassava Farming
Cassava is a tropical woody perennial plant, that grow up to 5 metres in height. It has large, spirally arranged, lobed leaves of very variable forms.
During its growth stage, Cassava shrubs produce several tuberous roots which are made up to 35% starch, which may reach up to 1 m in length and together may weigh up to 40 kg per single cassava plant.
From the time of planting, it takes 8 to 10 months for you to harvest your Cassava tutors. This article will provide in detail on how you can grow your Cassava, from start to finish.
How to Grow Cassava
To grow Cassava make sure you follow the steps below.
1.Site selection
The first step to cultivate Cassava is to choose the best site where you will grow your Cassava. The site needs to have all nutrient requirements for Cassava to Grow and give optimal results.
When choosing the site to grow your Cassava, make sure the type of soil is light, sandy loams or on loamy sands which are moist, fertile and deep. It is this type of soil which enables Cassava to give optimal yield.
The selected site, needs to be pest and disease free based on past history, as some pest such as termites excessive damage to Cassava in all of its developmental stages. As earlier said, the site needs to have good soil fertility for you to obtain better yield.
2. Site preparation
After selecting the best site where you will grow your Cassava, the next step is to prepare the site, so that it becomes ready for planting your Cassava cultivars.
To prepare your site, you clear the land and dig the soil. In case of heavy soils, you carry out any mounding or ridging. It should be noted that, site selection also depends on the climate, soil type, vegetation and terrain.
In which case, the soil surface should be loosened, enriched with organic matter and the growth of weeds should be reduced. During site preparation, you establish planting holes, where you will plant Cassava cultivars.
3. Selection of cuttings
The best varieties of cassava to plant should be those well adapted to your local area and should be rich in dry matter, which could be stored in the ground.
It should be noted that Cassava is propagated exclusively from cuttings. You collect Cassava cuttings in the field during harvesting. Improved varieties may also be obtained from Agriculture research stations.
Make sure you collect the cuttings of 20 to 30 cm long from the central portions of the brown healthy stem Cassava at around 12 months old.
Avoid any significantly hardened or tender Cassava stems. You identify healthy cultivars by their strong stems and branches, lush foliage, stems and leaves showing little damage from diseases or pests.
To ensure uniform growth of your Cassava cultivars, harvest the Cassava stems about a week before setting and store them in the shade, in a well ventilated area. The cuttings should be taken at the time of planting or on the day before. Each Cassava cutting should have 5–7 dormant buds.
4. Planting
Once the site has been prepared and cultivars become ready for planting, the next step is to go to actual field and plant the cultivars. Planting needs to be at a density of between 6,000 and 10,000 plants per hectare or with spacing of between 1.5 x 1 m to 1 x 1 m for single cultivation and 2 x 2 m with intercropping, or 2,500 Cassava plants per hectare.
It should be noted that Cassava culture varies according to the purposes for which it is grown. The cassava can either be planted as a single crop or intercropped with maize, legumes, vegetables, rubber, oil palms or other plants.
It should also be noted that mixed planting reduces the danger of crop loss due to unfavourable weather conditions and pests as the risks are spread among plants with different susceptibilities.
Another key point to take note during planting is that, all missing plants need to be replaced as soon as possible or those with difficulties to sprout.
5. Weeding
After planting, the next step is weeding and this can be achieved by hoeing. If the land is large enough, you could hire human labour.
The first weeding needs to be 3 to 4 weeks after planting. Second weeding could be 1 to 2 months after the first weeding. The third weeding could be done at the start of the second year.
6. Fertilisation
With new or long-term fallow land, fertilisation in Cassava field is not necessary. However, under intensive or continuous cultivation, fertilisation is required to compensate for the plant’s absorption of mineral elements.
When preparing the soil, add dolomite lime at a ratio of 100 kg per hectare. Two months after planting your Cassava, add NPK fertiliser (10, 18, 18) at a rate of 300 kg per hectare, to produce at least 25 tonnes per hectare of urea (150 kg per hectare), tricalcium phosphate (100 kg per hectare) and KCl (250 kg per hectare), with a production target of at least 30 tonnes per hectare.
This will boost your Cassava yield. In Cassava production, organic fertiliser is recommended for the production of tubers.
When preparing the soil for planting your Cassava, you can add chicken litter or any other animal manure at a rate of 10 tonnes per hectare, or 15 or 20 tonnes per hectare if the soil is depleted, Be this will boost Cassava yield as well.
7. Irrigation
Cassava is considered drought tolerant crop and is rarely irrigated.
8. Pest & disease control
Cassava is considered one of disease resistant crop, and is not normally affected by diseases or pests. However, in other regions it may be attacked by the following pests and diseases.
Make sure you control pest and diseases by chemical, cultural, natural and combination of these methods.
9. Cassava harvesting
You harvest your Cassava when its tuber matures and it takes around 8 to 15 months for your Cassava tuber to be ready for harvesting, but this depends on type of variety you have planted as some variety matures early as early as 6-8 months.
To harvest mature Cassava tuber you cut the stems at a height of 25 to 34 cm from the ground using a panga knife or alternatives and remove the tubers. When cutting or removing the tubers, make sure you do not damage them.
In conclusion, this article has taken a look at 9 steps required for you to cultivate your Cassava. Among others, the article has uncovered that, site selection, site preparation and weeding, are some of the required steps you will go through when growing your Cassava.