Cassava Varieties

Cassava Varieties –Characteristics and Benefits

How to choose a cassava variety

There are more than 10 varieties of cassava available for farmers for cultivation. However, there are different reasons why Nigerian farmers prefer one variety over another. If good yield is to be achieved, good agronomic practices are to be observed irrespective of the cassava variety one prefers before planting. The best cassava varieties are those that have the quality required by consumers, processors, and industries. Some of these qualities include early maturity, good yield, long storability in the soil, and tolerance to major pests and diseases.

Approved cassava varieties by the Nigerian government 

• The most popular variety is TME 419
• Dixon, formally known as 0581 (TMS-9800581)
• Farmer’s Pride, formally known as 1632 (TMS-981632)
• Fine Face, formally known as 0505 (TMS-980505)
• Sunshine, formally known as 0593 (TMS-070593)
• Ayaya formerly CR36-5 OR 365 (CR36-5) [1,2]

Newly developed varieties as of 2020 are listed here.

• Game-Changer has high and stable starch content, which is desired by industrial processors for flour, starch, and ethanol production on a large scale.
• Hope has excellent garri (or gari) and fufu quality to address the processed food market in Nigeria.
• Obasanjo-2 also exhibits similar produce to the Hope variety.
• Baba-70 also exhibit similar attribute like Game-changer in providing excellent garri and fufu quality to address the processed food market.
• Poundable is the first fresh market variety released in Nigeria.

Cassava processors are usually satisfied with cassava varieties that can produce 100% dry matter content, which is determined by the quantity and quality of the product obtained after processing.

Benefits of TME 419 cassava variety

TME 419 is a household name in Nigeria and the most popular among other varieties. Farmers like it because:

• It is an erect and straight plant type excellent for intercropping and mechanization.
• A very high yield is guaranteed with good environmental conditions (about 36 tons per hectare).
• The plants produce more garri and fufu than other varieties with better quality.
• Fufu prepared from this variety is always very white and rises and swells up.
• High yielding, up to high dry matter content, up to 40%.
• Endeared by preferred by Industries because it produced the highest dry matter for starch content.
• It has a swelling ability, and starch is a function of dry matter.
• The petiole color is green [1,2].

Benefits of Dixon cassava variety 

• It produces a good yield.
• It produces high dry matter content.
• It is a stay-green cassava variety. This means that even in the dry season, it retains its leaves and keeps growing. It does not drop its leaves even at the peak of the dry season.
• Good for garri and fufu.
• The petiole color is red.
• Better branching habit.
• Bigger root size than TME 419.
• A better branching habit than TME 419.
• Yield potential is higher than that of TME 419 [1,2].

Benefits of “Farmer’s Pride” cassava variety

• It produces high-yielding cassava tubers of up to 35 tons/ha.
• It gives high and stable dry matter, good for starch and flour production (39%).
• It is resistant to cassava mosaic disease
• It is an erect plant type with excellent mechanization.
• It does not grow as big as Dixon and TME419 but has a very good root yield [1,2].

Benefits of Fine face cassava variety 

• It may look feeble, but the yield is impressive with good quality.
• The petiole color is green and purple.
• The nature of the stem makes it perfect for mechanical harvesting.
• Attractive umbrella-shaped plant type good for weed control.
• Early Maturity [1,2].

Benefits of Sunshine cassava variety

• Best current bio-fortified with high pro-vitamin A.
• Yellow roots.
• Excellent for yellow garri and other bio-fortified food products.
• Good dry matter content.
• CMD resistant [1,2].

Benefits of Ayaya cassava variety

• High and stable dry matter (40%)
• Erect growth habit
• Petiole’s color is purple
• CMD resistant
• Excellent for flour and starch production [1,2].

The variety a farmer chooses depends on his/her objectives of planting the crop and consumers’ needs. It will serve farmers with two major options for growing cassava crops, either for food consumption or for processing solely depending on the choice of cassava variety.

References:

1. https://nifst.org/cassava-varieties-naming-ceremony-in-nigeria-basic-ii-iita/
2. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/agriculture/agric-news/432235-nigeria-to-get-five-new-cassava-varieties.html?tztc=1

• Cassava: History, Nutritional Value, and Plant Information
• Cassava Climate and Soil Requirements
• Cassava Varieties
• Cassava Propagation and Planting
• Cassavas Weed Management and Control
• Cassava crop Water Needs and irrigation Systems
• Cassava Fertilization Requirements
• Pruning of Cassava plants
• Major Pests and Diseases of Cassava
• Cassava Harvest, Yield per hectare and Storage