Canopy dynamics of two climate-smart cassava varieties under drought in SW Nigeria

Oluwafemi Ojo, Samuel; Hauser, Stefan; Enesi, Rebecca; Norgrove, Lindsey (17 September 2018). Canopy dynamics of two climate-smart cassava varieties under drought in SW Nigeria In: Tropentag 2018: Global food security and food safety: the role of universities. Ghent, Belgium. September 17 - 19 2018.

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Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a major staple in Nigeria and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa where it is grown without irrigation. However, the estimated yield gaps between those obtained on farmers’ fields (12Mgha-1) and on research stations (up to 60Mgha) remain high. There is also little information about yield determinants and the impacts of the dry season on growth, leaf area development, senescence, and biomass partitioning of the cassava plant and how these impacts vary between variety and with fertiliser application. Given projected changes in rainfall, we conducted a study to understand better the development of the crop as well as the growth response to water deficiency during the dry season. This was part of the “African Cassava Agronomy Initiative” sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The factorial experiment compared the responses of two drought-tolerant varieties of cassava (TMEB 419, IITA-TMS-IBA980581), to four different potassium fertiliser treatments (nil fertiliser, 75 kgNha-1 and 20 kg P ha-1 with 90, 135 or 180 kgKha-1 elemental application rates) and two different planting dates, replicated in four blocks and at two sites in South West Nigeria. Measurements over the dry season (October 2017 – February 2018) included biomass partitioning, light intensity and canopy interception with the aid of a ceptometer, leaf senescence and leaf area estimates. Preliminary observations show TMEB 419 with a taller stem and less dense canopy than IITATMS-IBA980581. Relationships between dry season response and yield in 2018 will be established allowing to optimise the planting time and fertiliser regime for each variety.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)
Division/Institute:	School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL > Resource-efficient agricultural production systems School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL > HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL > Agriculture
Name:	Oluwafemi Ojo, Samuel; Hauser, Stefan; Enesi, Rebecca and Norgrove, Lindsey
Subjects:	S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General) S Agriculture > SB Plant culture
Language:	English
Submitter:	Lindsey Norgrove
Date Deposited:	01 Apr 2020 12:05
Last Modified:	22 Sep 2020 07:34
ARBOR DOI:	10.24451/arbor.10000
URI:	https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/10000