Abstract
A study was conducted during four growing seasons to investigate the rooting capacity and survival percentage of cassava seedlings from stem cuttings selected based on their number of leaves. The experimental design was a randomized block design with five replications in a factorial scheme (4 × 2 × 2), totalling 16 treatments. Treatments consisted of combinations of growing season (September 22, October 7 and 19, and November 25), stem cuttings smaller (15 to 19.99 mm) and larger (20 to 25 mm) than 20 mm in diameter, and number of leaves on the stem cuttings (3 to 5 and 6 to 8 leaves). The experiment was carried out during the four growing seasons in a Van der Hoeven greenhouse. The greenhouse, as well as the benches on which the treatments were placed, had a north-south orientation. The greenhouse has an automatic mist irrigation system, and the mean temperature was 25 °C. The plant height at planting, number of leaves at planting, and number of leaves at 7 days after planting were measured. The final number of leaves, final plant height, shoot dry matter, root dry matter, and total dry matter were measured after acclimatization. Stem cuttings between 20 and 25 mm in diameter should be used to produce cassava seedlings with the rapid multiplication method. Cuttings with 6 to 8 visible leaves should be collected, and the cuttings should be planted at the end of September.
Highlights
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family
An analysis of the main effects of the significant factors was performed for the number of leaves at 7 days after planting (NL 7 DAP), the final plant height (FPH), the final number of leaves (FNL), and the final survival percentage (FS%)
The Box-Cox procedure was applied to verify the appropriate transformation of the shoot (SDM), root (RDM), and total dry matter (TDM) data because the data did not meet the assumptions of the mathematical model
Summary
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. This species is grown in many countries around the world and contributes to food security due to its production of tuberous roots that have high commercial interest (Rangel, Fey, Neubert, & Fidalski, 2018). Cassava has high socioeconomic importance, especially in tropical regions, due to its high rusticity, ease of propagation, low soil fertility demands, and tolerance of water stress. The average cassava yield on Brazilian family farms is approximately 5,770 kg ha−1, as it is mainly grown in areas with poor edaphic quality (Brasil, 2009). Low-quality propagation material and insufficient planting and management methods have contributed to low cassava yields (Silva et al, 2013). The use of alternative methods is an effective and cost-effective way to increase yield
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