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Oct 25, 2024Keywords:
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Water productivity of improved cassava varieties under tropical rain-fed conditions
Abstract
In most sub-Saharan African countries, cassava propagation occurs through dry farming techniques that involve cultivation without irrigation, which inhibits water management culture. This study investigated the water productivity of enhanced cassava cultivars in tropical rain-fed locations with dry farming conditions. Soil samples were obtained from three locations in the field using a soil auger and sieve analysis. Four enhanced stem cassava varieties free of disease (TMS 30572, TMS 980505, TMS 920326, and TMS 090581) were analyzed for growth characteristics for 90, 120, and 150 days after planting (DAP), and the number of tubers per plant, tuber length, tuber circumference, root depth, above ground biomass, and tuber yield were measured. Agronomic growth metrics, including height of plant, stem diameter, and number of nodes and stems, were also measured. The cassava crop coefficient was obtained and the reference crop evapotranspiration was computed using CropWat 8.0 software. TMS 090581 had the highest tuber productivity of 1.64 kg/ m3 , 3.77 kg/m3 and 3.05 kg/m3 and the highest average tuber yield value of 5.68 t/ha,16.06 t/ha and 18.75 t/ha at 90, 120 and 150 DAP, respectively. TMS 920326 resulted in the highest stem productivity of 1.98 kg/m3 and 2.72 kg/m3 at 90 and 150 DAP respectively while TMS 30572 had the highest stem productivity of 2.59 kg/m3 at 120 DAP. The highest leaf productivity of 1.94 kg/m3 was attained by TMS 980505 at 90 DAP while TMS 30572 yielded the highest leaf productivity values of 2.32 kg/m3 and 2.02 kg/m3 at 120 and 150 DAP, respectively. Despite being susceptible to white flies, TMS 30572 yielded the highest number of nodes, resulting in increased leaf production. TMS 090581 is recommended for tuber water productivity, and TMS 30572 and 980505 for leaf and stem productivity in water- scarce environments.
