Evaluation of Growth, Yield and Susceptibility of Five Cassava Cultivars in Ilorin, Southern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria

Abstract

Development of high yielding and disease/pest resistance cultivars are major ways of overcoming threats to cassava production in Africa. A field study aimed at evaluating the growth performance and susceptibility rating of five cassava cultivars was conducted at the University of Ilorin Teaching and Research Farm, Ilorin, Nigeria. The cassava cultivars included :  TMS 92/0057, TMS 92/0326, TMS 92/30572, 'Odongbo', 'Oko-Iyawo' - selected for high yield and tolerance to cassava mosaic disease (CMD), cassava bacterial blight (CBB) and cassava green spider mite (CGM). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Symptom expression of CMD was moderate in 'Odongbo' while TMS 92/30572 had the least severity symptom. 'Odongbo' recorded the least CGM severity of damage which was at par with TMS 92/0326 and 'Oko-Iyawo'. Symptoms expression of CMD and CBB were generally higher with the local checks - 'Odongbo' and 'Oko-Iyawo' respectively while CGM symptom was significantly (p< 0.05) higher with TMS 92/30572.  Results on growth parameters showed that least mean number of branches/plant was recorded in the local check- 'Oko-Iyawo' which was significantly different from TMS 92/30572. Mean weight of tubers/plant was positively correlated with number of tubers/plant and negatively correlated with CMD. TMS 92/0326 recorded high harvestable tuber/ha and its pest/disease severity scores were low, suggesting that this cultivar could be recommended to farmers in the studied agro-ecological zone.