Increasing cassava root yield on farmers' fields in Nigeria through appropriate weed management

Abstract

Weed competition is the major biological stress affecting cassava production in smallholder farms in West and Central Africa, where yields are low compared with those in Asia and Latin America. Options for improved weed management are crucial in increasing productivity. Selected pre- and post-emergence herbicides, integrated with appropriate tillage and plant spacing, were tested in 96 sites in four locations in Nigeria, 24 in 2016 and 72 in 2017. Trials were split plots with six pre-emergence herbicides and no post-emergence treatment as main plots. Subplot treatments were four post-emergence herbicides, weeding with a motorized rotary weeder, short- and long-handled hoes, and no post-emergence weed control, i.e., regardless of pre-emergence treatments. Indaziflam-based treatments, irrespective of post-emergence treatment, and flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone applied pre-emergence followed by one weeding with a long-handled hoe provided >80% control of major broadleaf and grass weeds. Compared with herbicide use, farmer control practices (53%) were not efficient in controlling weeds. The highest root yield was produced where (1) s-metolachlor was combined with atrazine, and one weeding with a long-handled hoe or clethodim with lactofen, and (2) indaziflam + isoxaflutole was combined with glyphosate. An increase in root yield from 3.41 to 14.2 t ha- 1 and from 3.0 to 11.99 t ha- 1 was obtained where herbicides were used compared with farmers’ practice and manual hoe weeding. Our results showed that integrating good agronomic practices with safe and effective use of appropriate herbicides can result in root yield >20 t ha −1. i.e., twice the national average root yield of 8–12 t ha −1 , with >50% net profit. The use of appropriate herbicides can reduce the amount of manual labor required and improve livelihoods, specifically for women and children. Smallholder cassava farmers would require continuous training on the safe use and handling of herbicides to improve efficiency and prevent adverse effects on humans and the environment.

Canopy Structure Influence the Critical Period for Weed Removal of Three Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Varieties in Zambia

“…While the average cassava yield in Zambia is below 5000 kg ha -1 and the southern Africa regional average is 8 000 kg ha -1 , the current yields emanating from improved management practices are far higher than average yields. The work of Ekeleme et al (2021) who reported root yields higher than 20 t ha -1 and a doubling of the national average of 8-12 t ha -1 in studies conducted in Nigeria, support the current results obtained at Kabangwe and Kaoma in Zambia.…”

Chemical Properties of Soil and Cassava Yield as a Function of Weed Management by Cover Crops in the Amazon Ecosystem

“…In this regard, other studies evaluating weed control in cassava crop fields recorded higher yields in treatments with herbicide applications, compared with treatments using hand weed control [32,33]. Different results were found by Fontes et al [17], who did not observe differences in cassava cultivar Manteiga yields with herbicide and hand weeding treatments.…”

Unattended Electric Weeder (UEW): A Novel Approach to Control Floor Weeds in Orchard Nurseries

“…This leveling-of-soil operation readied the discharge space beneath the C-CN to expose only plant seedlings to the spark. As the arc discharge was always accompanied by a specific sound (arc-discharge sound) [28,29,31], effective elimination of the extra soil was confirmed by checking for the presence or absence of the arc-discharge sound by moving the UEW over the soil-cover metal net at the stage before the weed seedlings appeared.…”

“…To reduce labor requirements, some studies have proposed the use of robotic [22] or electrical [23][24][25][26][27][28] weeders. However, the high cost of these machine weeders limits their use, particularly on small farms [29]. Thus, the growers requested our cooperation (Research Association of Electric Field Screen Supporter, RAEFSS) to develop a new electric system, to control weeds automatically.…”