Rapid propagation system for cassava

Normally, cassava has a slow rate of propagation, giving about 10 to 30 normal sized stakes after one year. The proposed method in this report can provide approximately 36,000 cuttings per year from only one mature plant and is the easiest system to use to date. Materials and methodology are discussed in detail. The method depends on the growth of new shoots from the cut base of the first shoot. Up to nine shoots can be produced from one nodal unit. In many parts of the world cassava bacterial blight (CBB) can cause yield losses of up to 50%. With this propagation method, healthy material can readily be produced and CBB-free "seed" stock built up. If a plantation is CBB-infected, clean material must not be planted immediately after harvesting. The elimination of CBB from the soil may be possible through a fallow or crop rotation of at least six months. All infected cassava residues should be destroyed by burning, and large areas maintained between clean and infected plantations to prevent infection through wind-borne rain, soil splash, insects, irrigation, drainage water, and any other mechanical and accidental means of CBB dissemination.