Abstract:
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of variety and fertilize application on the growth and tuber yield attributes, proximate and chemical composition of cassava (Manihot esculenta). The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Technology, Akure in the humid rain forest zone of south western Nigeria. The varieties which were evaluated for optimum yield and end-user traits were: TMS 30572, TMS 4(2)1425,TMS 98/0505 and TMS 98/0581 and TMS 01/1412 . The manure treatment included; poultry manure (4t/ha), N.P.K 15:15:15 (400kglha), organomineral fertilizer at 4t/ha and unmanured control. The experiment was a split –plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The cassava varieties constituted the main plot while manure formed the sub-plot treatments. Data were collected on growth and yield attributes which included plant height, stem girth, number of leaves and branches per plant, number and weight of tubers/plant. The starch extracted from the varieties of cassava tubers were subjected to laboratory analysis of mineral and proximate composition. The varieties differed in most of the growth and yield attributes measured .Application of manure significantly increased tuber yield compared with the unmanured control. The highest tuber yield was obtained with application of organomineral fertilizer in the variety TMS 98/0505. The result of the analysis of the chemical and proximate composition of starch from the tested cassava varieties differed significantly among varieties .TMS 98/0505 had the highest N and P contents,TMS01/1412 had the highest K, Ca and Mg contents while TMS 4(2) 1425 recorded the highest Na content .The result of the measured growth, yield, mineral and proximate composition of the starch were used as criteria to classify the varieties of cassava to meet end-users needs. The findings of this study will be useful in making right and appropriate choice of cassava varieties for production, to meet end-user trait with domestic, pharmaceutical and other industrial uses.
