How to grow cassava with high yield and starch content?

In recent years, thanks to the use of specialized NPK fertilizer Mat Troi Moi, farmers in Gia Lai province have grown cassava with high economic efficiency.

Currently growing 3 hectares of cassava, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Bang - Ia Pior commune (Chu Prong district, Gia Lai province) said that in the past, he often applied single fertilizers such as nitrogen, phosphorus... For 1 hectare, Mr. Bang applied 12 bags of SA (Ammonium Sulfate) nitrogen fertilizer, 4 bags of phosphate fertilizer, totaling 4,500,000 VND. At the end of the season, Mr. Bang harvested 13 tons of cassava/ha, selling for 39,000,000 VND.

Using fertilizer properly helps cassava grow with high fresh root yield and starch content. Photo: Quoc Viet

Recently, Mr. Bang switched to using New Sun fertilizer specifically for cassava (NPK 15-5-15 + 1.5 S + TE). Evaluating the last crop, Mr. Bang used 10 bags of New Sun NPK fertilizer, with a total cost of 6,000,000 VND. At the end of the crop, Mr. Bang's cassava field yielded 23 tons/ha (77% increase compared to before), selling for 69,000,000 VND.

Although using New Sun fertilizer increases fertilizer costs by 1,500,000 VND/ha, cassava yield increases by 10 tons/ha. Therefore, after deducting the cost of buying fertilizer, Mr. Bang earns an additional profit of 28,500,000 VND/ha compared to the farming method using conventional fertilizer.

Mr. Bang is one of many farmers in Gia Lai province who are using New Sun fertilizer to fertilize cassava. New Sun fertilizer NPK 15-5-15 + 1.5 S + TE has been used for the cassava growing model in Krong Pa district and has an average yield of 30 tons/ha, with a starch content of 28%.

Compared to cassava fields fertilized with other NPK fertilizers, the yield was only 27 tons/ha, with a starch content of 26%. Particularly, cassava fields without fertilizers (extensive cultivation) had a yield of only 21.5 tons/ha, with a starch content of 25%.

The cassava gardens are lush thanks to adequate nutrition. Photo: Quoc Viet

According to Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong - Former Deputy Director of the South Central Coast Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, the reason for the low yield of fresh tubers and starch content is that previously, these fields were fertilized with SA and phosphate nitrogen but lacked potassium, leading to a serious imbalance.

"Without potassium, the yield and starch content of cassava plants decrease sharply," said Dr. Phuong.

Cassava plants fertilized with new generation NPK fertilizer have large tubers and high starch content. Photo: Quoc Viet

Therefore, with the New Sun fertilizer line, which helps supplement potassium and some necessary trace elements (TE), it ensures nutrition for cassava to grow well. Although the cost of specialized fertilizer for cassava is higher than other NPK fertilizers, it gives a higher yield of 3 tons/ha. Therefore, the net profit in the specialized fertilizer model is 17.4% higher than that of other NPK fertilizer fields and 34.2% higher than that of unfertilized cassava fields.

This new technology cassava fertilization model is also applied in Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai provinces. Accordingly, in Binh Dinh, productivity increased by 12.9%, net profit increased by 28.5% compared to cassava grown with single fertilizer and manure. In Quang Ngai, productivity increased by 10.2%, starch content increased by nearly 1% compared to using single fertilizer.

Binh Dinh Agricultural Technical Materials Joint Stock Company recommends that in order to sustainably develop cassava in the South Central Coast and Central Highlands, it is necessary to use cassava varieties that are adapted to each ecological region (sandy soil, hilly soil, drought-resistant). The varieties must have high and stable yield (35-50 tons/ha), starch ratio > 26%; medium and short-term varieties (about 8-9 months); varieties resistant to pests and diseases, especially cassava mosaic virus (Cassava Mosaic Virus - CMV), witches' broom disease (Phytho plasma), pink mealybugs, etc.

It is necessary to pay attention to spreading cassava crops, avoiding putting pressure on factories and farmers. Farmers should pay attention to fertilizing cassava plants with specialized NPK fertilizers, manure or organic microbial fertilizers.

For cassava cultivation on sloping land, it is necessary to pay attention to applying the cultivation process on sloping land to protect the soil, limit soil erosion, minimize tillage, and pay attention to soil nourishment. Rotating cassava with legumes is an effective measure in sustainable cassava cultivation.

Source: https://danviet.vn/lam-the-nao-de-trong-san-dat-nang-suat-va-ham-luong-tinh-bot-cao-20240729171533133.htm