Research Article
Effect of Stem Cutting Sections, Substrate and Fertilization on Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Seedlings Production and Analysis of Yield Performance in the Field
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 2, June 2026
Pages:
33-41
Received:
28 March 2026
Accepted:
16 April 2026
Published:
24 April 2026
Abstract: Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz) plays a crucial role in global food security, serving as a staple crop for nearly one billion people worldwide. Despite its importance, cassava production remains suboptimal, largely due to inefficient use of stem cuttings by farmers. Producing seedlings through mini-cuttings offers a promising method to optimize stem utilization and accelerate cassava multiplication. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of substrate and fertilization on cassava seedlings production from mini-set cuttings taken from various parts of the stem, and to assess their performance in the field. A factorial experiment was conducted using three stem parts (upper, middle, and lower) from three cassava genotypes (LMR, I010040-27, and 8034). These were combined with three substrate types (soil/sawdust, soil/sawdust/poultry manure, and soil/sawdust/NPK) in a completely randomized block design with three replications to produce seedlings in propagators. Subsequently, the field performance of the seedlings from each stem part was monitored. Results revealed that all stem sections across the genotypes were capable of regenerating seedlings in the tested substrates. The most effective substrate for rapid and vigorous seedling regeneration was a mix of soil, sawdust, and poultry manure, especially when using cuttings from the middle stem section. Cuttings from the upper stem section produced the lowest seedling regeneration rates across all genotypes. In field conditions, plants derived from the middle stem cuttings of the I010040-27 variety produced the highest number of tubers and the longest tuber lengths per plant compared to other genotypes. These findings are highly valuable for promoting the adoption of mini-cuttings as efficient planting material, thereby contributing to optimized and intensified cassava production.
Abstract: Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz) plays a crucial role in global food security, serving as a staple crop for nearly one billion people worldwide. Despite its importance, cassava production remains suboptimal, largely due to inefficient use of stem cuttings by farmers. Producing seedlings through mini-cuttings offers a promising method to optimize ...
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Review Article
Conventional and Modern Breeding Strategies for Cassava Improvement: A Review of Controlled Hybridization to Genomic Selection
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 2, June 2026
Pages:
42-50
Received:
18 March 2026
Accepted:
28 March 2026
Published:
19 May 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.plant.20261402.12
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Abstract: Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a vital tropical root crop that underpins food security, livelihoods, and industrial development for over 800 million people globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Its resilience to drought and adaptability to marginal environments make it a strategic crop under climate change. However, cassava improvement remains constrained by biological and genetic complexities, including high heterozygosity, clonal propagation, long breeding cycles, and strong genotype × environment (G×E) interactions. Conventional breeding approaches, such as controlled hybridization and phenotypic selection, have historically contributed to yield improvement and disease resistance but are limited by low selection accuracy for polygenic traits and slow genetic gain. Recent advances in molecular genetics and genomics have transformed cassava breeding through the adoption of marker-assisted selection (MAS), genomic selection (GS), and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). These approaches enable the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs), prediction of breeding values, and dissection of complex trait architecture, thereby enhancing selection efficiency and accelerating breeding cycles. Statistical tools such as genomic best linear unbiased prediction (G-BLUP), additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI), and genotype plus genotype-by-environment interaction (GGE) biplot analysis have further improved genotype evaluation and stability analysis across diverse environments. Recent studies demonstrate that genomic selection can reduce cassava breeding cycles from approximately five years to two years while increasing genetic gain. Emerging technologies, including genome editing, high-throughput phenotyping, and artificial intelligence, offer additional opportunities for precision breeding. This review critically synthesizes conventional and modern cassava breeding strategies, highlighting their strengths, limitations, and integration into efficient breeding pipelines. The paper emphasizes the need for data-driven, multi-disciplinary approaches to develop climate-resilient, high-yielding, and quality cassava varieties for sustainable agricultural systems.
Abstract: Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a vital tropical root crop that underpins food security, livelihoods, and industrial development for over 800 million people globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Its resilience to drought and adaptability to marginal environments make it a strategic crop under climate change. However, cassava improveme...
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,
Carel Verlaine Ekanga
