Harvesting Date Influences Cassava (Manihot Esculenta Crantz) Yield and Quality of Based-Products

Abstract

In order to evaluate cassava roots yield of two varieties at three harvesting dates and assess the effect of harvesting date on physico-chemical composition of roots and quality of gari and baton de manioc, a study was done. Cassava roots of a popular variety (local white) and the improved variety 8034 were harvested in small holder farmers’ fields in the mono-modal humid forest zone and the bimodal humid forest zone of Cameroon. At harvest, the yield was evaluated, the physico-chemical composition of roots evaluated and a sensory test carried out on gari and baton de manioc after processing. Results showed that harvesting date has an effect on the cassava roots yield, for both local white and variety 8034. Cassava yield varied according to agro-ecological zones, with higher yield in the mono-modal humid forest zone than the bimodal humid forest zone. The nutrient content in cassava root varied with the variety and age of roots. There was an increase with the age of roots for K, P and dry matter content for the variety 8034. With the local white variety, there was an increase in total N and dry matter content. In contrary, there was a gradual decrease of percentage Mg, K, Na with the age of cassava roots for the variety 8034.Baton de manioc obtained from variety 8034 at 10-12 months and gari obtained from same variety were scored the highest global quality.