Summary:

The farmer may need to try growing different varieties that may be recommended by the extension agent in your area and follow some general recommendations to improve cassava production.

ID of request in RUN:

6532

Practical Instruction:

1. Use sanitation techniques, which involve taking cuttings only from healthy plants and subsequently removing any plants which become diseased.
2. Use Plant disease free planting materials of recommended varieties that are approved by your agricultural extension officer. Grow cassava varieties that tolerate the common pests in your area.
3. Use cuttings that have 5-7 nodes to increase chances of sprouting.
4. After planting, any plants showing disease symptoms should be uprooted immediately. This rouging should be carried out at least once a week for the first 2 to 3 months.
5. Weed whenever weeds appear, Cassava is particularly susceptible to weeds in the first four months after planting

6. Select sites with dense vegetation, deep loamy soils, and flat or gently sloping land to plant cassava. Choose well-drained fertile soils.
7. Improve the soils by manuring, mulching, and intercropping.
8. Plant on ridges to control soil erosion
9. Plant cassava mainly at the beginning of the wet season; avoid late planting.
10. Do not spray pesticides on cassava as these will also kill the natural enemies of cassava pests.
11. Avoid damaging the root tubers during weeding and harvesting

Conditions for success:

If the farmer follows the guidelines

Conditions for failure:

If the guidelines are ignored

Expected short term effect:

Control of the condition

Expected mid-term effect:

Reduction in the incidence of bitter cassava

Expected long-term effect:

Sweet cassava harvests

Expert Name:

Francis Odongo

Email address of expert:

odongo_franc@yahoo.com

Profession of Expert:

Plant Pathologist

Practical experience:

9 years.

Date of answer:

12 June 2010

Particularity:

Very common

Since when is the problem known (y):

NA

Tendency:

Not applicable