Must Know Cassava Growing Tips

General Production:

·         Cassava is a tropical and subtropical crop grown for the root part and in some cases for young leaves.

·         Popular sweet varieties are: Tanganyika and Kapumba.

·         Popular bitter varieties are: Mweru, Chila, Kapolombo and Bangweulu.

·         A well-managed Cassava crop will yield 5.5 to 9 tons per Lima.

·         Recommended time of planting mid-November to mid-December.

Land Preparation/Soil Type:

·         Deep loose well drained loamy soils with a pH range from 4.5 to 7.5 is ideal.

·         Effective rooting depth is 100cm to 150cm. Deep plough field and harrow.

·         500kg of dolomitic lime must be applied 30-60 days prior to planting and harrowed in to the soil to make ridges where Cassava cuttings will be planted.

Planting:

·         Plant the 20 to 50cm cuttings vertically inclined or horizontally at 60cm between plants and 100cm between ridges/rows to give a plant population of 10,000 plants/hectare.

Fertilizer Programme:

·         At land preparation apply 500kg dolomitic lime per hectare (more if soils are too acidic), (125kg/Lima).

·         30 days from planting apply Cassava Basal 30gm/station - 5cm away from the plant and 5cm deep (63kg/Lima).

·         90 days from planting top-dress using VegTop24 at 30gm/station (63kg/Lima).

·         150 days from planting top-dress using VegTop24 at 30gm/station (63kg/Lima).

·         Fertilizer must be applied 5cm away from the plant and 5cm deep followed by irrigation to make it available to the plants.

Management Practices:

·         Weeds compete with plants for nutrients and space; they can reduce yields by more than 25%. Keep the field free from weeds at all times.

·         Aphids and Caterpillars are common insect pests that can be controlled by spraying Malathion while Anthracnose is a common disease that is controlled by copper sprays.

This is where we will be ending our discussion for today. Remember to share your comments, views and opinions.