Yield Maximization in Cassava through a Systematic Approach in Fertilizer Use

Abstract

Maximum yield research (MYR) and maximum economic yield systems (MEY) are important under the present situation of increased demographic changes, which have reduced the per capita availability of both land and food. Among root and tuber crops, cassava is found in a variety of production systems and performs well under various levels of management from low-input to high-input systems. A systematic approach in fertilizer use involves the determination and elimination of soil nutrient constraints for balanced supply of all potentially deficient essential nutrients for sustainable high yield. In the systematic approach of determining optimal fertilizer for cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in a Typic Kandiustult soil of Kerala, India, studies on critical levels of nutrients, original nutritional status of the soil, its sorption capacity, and greenhouse/screenhouse nutrient survey were carried out. The critical levels of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) were determined as 8.23 and 43.5 mg g 21 , respectively. The preliminary analysis of the soil of the experimental site revealed the overall fertility status as very poor. The sorption studies conducted for P, K, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), sulfur (S), and boron (B) indicated P, K, S, and B were limiting in this particular soil. The quantities of these nutrients needed to optimize the soil nutrient status were determined from the preliminary soil analysis, critical levels of nutrients, and sorption curves and found to be 136 mg mL 21 P, 0.338 meq 100 mL 21 K, 20 mg mL 21 S, and 6.025 mg mL 21 B, respectively. From the greenhouse nutrient survey, N, P, K, and calcium (Ca) were seen as limiting nutrients for this soil; therefore the optimum treatment for cassava was fixed as N-P-K at 100:300:300 kg ha 21 , respectively. Field experiments were conducted for two seasons with different levels of the optimum treatment using a short duration (6-7 months) cassava variety, Sree Vijaya. The optimum treatment gave a yield of 43.41 t ha 21 , whereas the yield under the existing practice

High Nitrogen Availability Limits Photosynthesis and Compromises Carbohydrate Allocation to Storage in Roots of Manihot esculenta Crantz

“…It is not only a food staple to over 500 million people, but an important constituent in commercial animal feed, paper or textile fibers, and starch for pharmaceutical industries (Balagopalan, 2002; Tonukari et al, 2015). Due to water scarcity, cassava farms are shifting to drip irrigation, and production could increase further by better soluble nutrients application (Susan John et al, 2007; Fermont et al, 2009; Byju et al, 2012). So far, we know that N fertilization increases N concentration in the leaf blade (Nguyen et al, 2002), leaf area index (Sangakkara and Wijesinghe, 2014), photosynthetic rate (Cruz et al, 2003b), plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, and the number of roots (Uwah et al, 2013) of cassava.…”

Nutrient use efficiency and harvest index of cassava decline as fertigation solution concentration increases

“…Moreover, changes over time in soil fertility influence root yield ( Nguyen et al, ). In addition, balanced nutrition designed for specific agroecological zone and variety enhance yield, as was the case for the Sree Vijaya variety in Kerala, India ( Susan John et al, ). In the above studies, balanced nutrition changed based on three things: soil fertility, agroecological zones, and varieties.…”

Site Specific Fertilizer Recommendations for Maize (Zea mays L.) Grown in Reddish Brown Earth and Reddish Brown Latasolic Soils

“…This approach was validated for soils of Sri Lanka by Kumaragamage & Indraratne, (2011) using soils from 32 different locations in Sri Lanka. Further this approach has been tested for many annual crops in different parts of the world (John et al, 2007;Pasuquin et al, 2010;Paramasivan et al, 2011) and Sri Lanka particularly for rice (Bandara et al, 2005;Bandara et al, 2006) and for some vegetables (Amarasekara et al, 2007;Keerthisinghe et al, 2008;Herath et al, 2013) resulting larger yield and economic benefits. Maize is grown in many parts of the country with blanket application of only N, P and K fertilizers.…”