Assessment of Yield and Yield Components of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) as Influenced by Population Density and Varieties in Anyigba, Kogi State.

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kogi State University during the 2014 cropping season to determine the optimum planting density that would enhance the optimum growth and yield potential of two cassava genotypes. The experiment was conducted using a split-plot in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated four times. The main plot treatment consisted of two improved cassava varieties; TMS 30572 and TME 419; while the sub-plot treatment consisted of four different planting spacing of 70, 80, 90 and 100 cm. The parameters measured in the study were plant height at harvest, plant girth, stem weight, leaf weight, tuber length, tuber diameter and tuber yield. The yield and yield components of cassava were significantly reduced at plant spacing of 70cm. The results revealed that TME 419 and TMS 30572 tuber yields were highest when planted at intra spacing of 90 and 100 cm. The yields were 5.83 and 5.33kg/plant translating to tuber yields of 58300 and 65798kg/ha for TMS 30572 at plant spacing of 100 and 90 cm respectively. On the other hand, tuber yields in respect of TME 419 were 7.60 and 7.99kg/plant translating to 76000 and 96636kg/ha at 100 and 90cm intra spacing. When planted at the spacing of 70cm, the cassava tuber yield was 3.59kg for TMS 30572 and 4.46kg/plant for TME 419. The results also showed that population density had no significant effect on the leaf weight of the two cassava varieties investigated. At the planting spacing of 100 and 90cm, leaf weight in TMS 30572 was 0.17kg. Across the planting spaces studied, leaf weights were higher in TME 419 in comparison to that of TMS 30572.