How to Grow Cassava

Cassava farming is mainly done to produce food items, solvents, alcohol, glucose, animal feed, energy, fertilizers, and some extra by-products. Nigeria tops the list of cassava production, all over the world and Thailand tops the list of cassava production on the Asian continent.

Cassava is believed to have originated from South Africa. The scientific name of cassava is Manihot esculenta.

Cassava leaves and tubers are the important part of the plant, which is used mostly by people for cooking or in other forms. Roots of this commercial crop are mainly consumed because there are an excellent source of starch along with vitamin ‘C’, calcium, phosphorus, etc. A good combination of all these nutrients have lots of health benefits. Roots are about 1mm thick in size and have brown colour outside. However, the commercial cassava plants have larger roots having a bigger diameter and larger length.

Commercial cassava farming can create a huge profit if a suitable variety of cassava is cultivated with good farm management skills. So let’s learn how to grow cassava commercially?

Health Benefits of Cassava

The following is the list of some of the health benefits of cassava:

1.    Cassava roots are an excellent source of minerals and vitamins such as manganese, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and Iron. All these are responsible for the healthy development of our body.

2.    Cassava is also rich in fibres and dietary fibre which are helpful in preventing constipation.

3.    Cassava also contains a high amount of carbohydrates content in them, so consuming cassava can provide lots of energy to our body.

4.    Consuming cassava is also helpful in weight management.

5.    Eating cassava regularly prevents you from many types of cancer and also enhances a good digestive system.

6.    Cassava also helps in treating diarrhoea, and the rheumatic diseases.

7.    Consuming cassava is also beneficial for good eye health, hair health, and skin health.

8.    Cassava is also used as home remedy for curing headaches and fever. It also heals the wounds faster.

9.    It is helpful in boosting the immune system and lowering the blood pressure. Consuming cassava frequently is also beneficial for good nerve and brain healing.

How to Start Commercial Cassava Cultivation

Select a Suitable Cassava Variety

There are numbers of improved variety of cassava for growing commercially. Bitter and Sweet are two main kinds of cassava, from which the sweet variety is cultivated most because it is capable of producing more roots and leaves than other varieties.

In the market, for commercial cassava cultivation, there are many kinds of varieties available according to each specific agronomic region. However, Katabang, Brasil, Golden Yellow, and Macan are some common varieties, which are capable of producing more yield.

Agro-climatic Condition for Cassava

Basically, cassava plant is a tropical and short day plant which requires warmer atmosphere along with humid climate. In commercial cassava farming, the atmospheric temperature plays a vital role in the production.

This crop is very prone to the frost condition so try to grow cassava in a frost free area in a warmer region with moderate humid conditions. For growing commercially, a temperature ranging between 23 to 33°C is considered as the ideal one for maximum production.

Also, cassava can grow well with moderate water availability. It is possible to cultivate cassava in a region having an annual rainfall about 500 to 35000mm. Since farming this crop with good availability of water is helpful in obtaining higher production.

Soil Requirement for Cassava

This crop can be cultivated almost in all kinds of soils. However, a deep and sandy, loamy soil is considered as the most suitable for optimum production. Note that, in the organic rich soil, tuber growth is less than the vegetative growth. So, grow this crop in a soil having good organic content with proper drainage to obtain a higher yield.

Also, this crop produces the most in acidic soil. So, control your soil pH. This can be done by adding about 50kg of lime per hectare. They can grow best in soil having pH ranging between 5.5 to 6.5.

Planting Cassava

This crop can be cultivated throughout the whole year but it is essential to keep your soil moisten for about half a year after plantation on the field. According to cassava planting methods, take care in the plantation. Never plant an immature stem.

Plant a stem having more than 30cm size and should be cut from a year old mature plant. Also, 4 to 7 nodes on the grafted stem are essential for setting well.

Plant your cut stem in the previously prepared soil. Planting should be done in the morning or evening in the cooler weather.

Cassava Planting Methods

There are three methods of the plantation in commercial cassava farming. These 3 methods are listed below:

1.    Vertical Plantation: This method of plantation should opt for growing cassava in the monsoon to avoid the constant wetting of the rot.

2.    Horizontal Plantation: To maintaining the moisture content on your farm, this planting method should be opted for growing in summer or hotter days.

3.    Slanting Plantation: If you are thinking to grow this crop in between summer and monsoon season, then go for this method of the plantation.

Note: In every method of the plantation, the stems should be planted by keeping the cuttings, about ¾ inside of the field and the remaining one or ¼ portion should be incorporated into topsoil.

Cassava Plant Spacing

The cuttings are planted in the prepared dig by keeping row distance about 1 meter. Plant them at a distance one meter apart.

Irrigation in Cassava Farming

It is essential to provide sufficient amount of water to maintain the moisture content in your soil for the first month of the plantation so that grafted cuts set well on the field and also to grow healthy tubers.

Frequent irrigations are needed in the conditions of drought. However, a 25% moisture content in your field may help you in producing doubles the numbers of grown tubers.

For improved variety, it is a good idea to add farmyard manure, more than 20 tonnes per hectare along with proper chemical fertilizers. Also, add about 50kg of Nitrogen, 50kg of Phosphorus and 50kg of Potash at time of land preparation per hectare of land.

Also, the same dose of N:P:K should be applied at after about two months of planting cuts or stems on the field.

Cassava Pests and Diseases

Cassava Pests

The following is the list of common pests and insects, observed in cassava production:

·         Locusts

·         Beetles

·         Aphids

·         Ants

However, wild pigs, goats, sheep, and rats are also harmful to your crop.

For controlling all these, try to keep away all these mentioned.

Cassava Diseases

The following are the main diseases that is observed in the commercial production of Cassava:

·         Root rot

·         Anthracnose

·         Mosaic disease

·         Bacterial blight etc.

For controlling measure, learn the symptoms of all these mentioned diseases and operate a suitable treatment as sooner as they observed.

Harvesting Cassava

This crop becomes ready for harvesting in about 12 months of the plantation on the main field whereas short duration variety takes about 6 to 8 months. However, harvesting at the right time helps in obtaining the best quality of tubers in a higher amount.

Yield in Cassava Farming

The yield of this commercial crop depends on numbers of key factors such as the agro-climatic condition, type of soil, the cultivar or variety is chosen for its cultivation along with good farm management skills.

However, it is possible to harvest about more than 40 tonnes of roots with good farm management skills through growing high yielding hybrid and for short-term variety, you can harvest roots, about more than 30 tonnes from a hectare land.

For further info, you can Download the following PDF guide Growing Cassava now. Feel free to copy and share this with your friends and family.