Cassava (Manihot esculenta)

Land Preparation:
Land for cassava cultivation is first ploughed and then harrowed or disked. Thereafter
the cassava may be planted on the flat,on ridges, or in furrow. For furrows, make them 10 cm
deep, and place the cuttings horizontally in the direction of one furrow. In areas where drainage
is the problem, the land is heaped in mound or ridges and the cassava is planted on the crest.
Planting Time:
Cassava matures between 8-12 months after planting. Cutting back plants 2 weeks
before harvesting should cause tubers to mature and increase yields by 10%. Do not weed
before harvesting. Excess soil should be removed from the harvested tubers and carefully
packed in crates or bags for transport.
Planting Method:

Cassava is planted 7-30 cm portions of the mature stem as propagules.

The selection of healthy, disease-free and pest-free propagules is essential.
The stem cuttings are sometimes referred to as stakes. In areas where freezing
temperatures are possible, the cutting is planted and soon as danger of frost has
passed.
The cuttings are planted by hand in moist, prepared soil, burying the lower half.
When soil are too shallow to plant the cuttings is an upright or slanted position, the
cuttings are laid flat and covered with 2-3 cm soil.
The top of the cuttings must be placed up. Typically plant spacing is one meter by one
meter (but in actual we used half a meter by spacing in planting cassava cuttings.)

Planting Materials:
Vegetative propagation through cuttings is the method used for multiplication of
improved cassava planting materials.
Cultural Practices:
1. Cassava-based cropping systems
2. Time of planting and harvest
3. Land preparation
4. Selection and preparation of planting material
5. Planting method
6. Application of lime and fertilizers or manures
7. Used of green manures to improved soil fertility
8. Erosion control
9. Weeding
10.Harvest
Weeds, insect present in the area occupied in planting sweet potato through
mechanical method which is hand pulling.

Weeds

Insects

Chick weed
Chember bitter
Lesser fimbrysylis
Makahiya
Pigweed

Dragon fly
leafhoppers
Lady bug
Horse fly
grasshopper