Performance of improved varieties of cassava in two agroecological units of Kerala

Authors

  • R. Muthuraj
  • James George
  • S. Sunitha
  • M. N. Sheela

Abstract

Cassava is an important source of energy in the diet of tropical countries of the world. It has enormous potential in India for food security and industrial uses due to its ability to grow in marginal and waste lands where other crops do not survive. Commercial planting of cassava is done from stem cuttings and because of the low multiplication rate as compared to cereals and pulses, the high yielding varieties released in the research institute takes many years to reach the farmers. Over the years, clonal multiplication degenerates the planting material, reduce tuber yield drastically and renders the cultivation of cassava uneconomical. An attempt was made to see the performance of improved varieties of cassava in Mattathur gram panchayat of Thrissur district which falls under Northern laterites Agro Ecological Unit 11 (AEU11) and Vellamunda panchayat of Wayanad district under Wayanad Central Plateau Agro Ecological Unit 21 (AEU21) of Kerala. The programme was implemented under theproject on Development of Tuber Crops financed by Government of Kerala during 2014-15 and 2015-16 undertaken by ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Hundred farmers were selected from Mattathur Krishi Bhavan of Thrissur districtand fifty farmers from Vellamunda Krishi Bhavan of Wayanad district. Quality planting materials of improved varieties of cassava from ICAR-CTCRI viz., Sree Jaya, Sree Vijaya, Sree Pavithra, CTM 820 and CTM 806 were distributedto the farmers for cultivation in area of 10 cents of each, with a total areaof 6 ha. The cultivation of cassava was carried out under rainfed conditions with the guidance and the direct supervision of ICAR-CTCRI scientists. Farmers got an average tuber yield of 5.40 kg and 3.70 kg per plant with an average number of tubers 6.30 and 4.68 per plantin Mattathur and Vellamunda, respectively. Improved varieties of cassava produced significantly higher average tuber yield of 66.67 t ha-1 and 45.68 t ha-1 at Mattathur and Vellamunda, respectively. In both the locations, farmers could also produce 1.50 lakhs stems of improved varieties of cassava from 6 ha area within one season which were distributed to neighboring farmers and nearby districts for cultivation in an area of 60 ha.

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Published

2023-11-01

How to Cite

R. Muthuraj, James George, S. Sunitha, & M. N. Sheela. (2023). Performance of improved varieties of cassava in two agroecological units of Kerala. JOURNAL OF ROOT CROPS, 47(1 & 2), 53–56. Retrieved from http://journal.isrc.in/index.php/jrc/article/view/610