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Intensification options of small holders’ cassava production in South‐west Nigeria
Author(s) -
Kreye Christine,
Hauser Stefan,
Pypers Pieter,
Vanlauwe Bernard
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.1002/agj2.20419
Subject(s) - vigna , manihot esculenta , intercropping , agronomy , manihot , crop , fertilizer , legume , yield (engineering) , point of delivery , biology , mathematics , botany , materials science , metallurgy
Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a staple food crop in Nigeria, but root yields hardly exceed 10 t ha −1 . Intensification of small holders’ cassava production is key to improved food security and income generation. We tested, in two demonstration trials and 20 on‐farm trials, different intensification options: cassava growth type (erect and branching), fertilizer application (with and without), and cassava − legume arrangement (0.5 by 2 m/1 by 1 m spacing of cassava) in demonstration trials. In on‐farm trials, farmers tested a subset of these treatments. The demonstration trials had median cassava yields of about 20 (Akindele village) and 15 (Osunwoyin village) t ha −1 . Fertilizer application increased the yield of the erect cassava variety. Cassava intercropped with cowpea [ Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.], reduced yield and the branching cassava variety produced lower yield than the erect variety. Median cowpea yields were about 1 and 1.5 t ha −1 pod yield. Median yields in the on‐farm trials were about 10 t ha −1 . Intercropping with cowpea reduced cassava root yields (on average by 2.4 t ha −1 ), again, cowpea pod yields of 1−1.5 t ha −1 were attainable. In summary, this study confirmed that intensification measures need to be site and user or farmer specific.