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Brief Report

Cut, Root, and Grow: Simplifying Cassava Propagation to Scale

1
Plant Virus Department, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
2
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dar es Salaam P.O. Box 3444, Tanzania
3
Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute, TARI Ukiriguru, Mwanza P.O. Box 1433, Tanzania
4
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Kalambo Bukavu P.O. Box 4163, Democratic Republic of the Congo
5
Association Volontaire pour le Développement (AVPD), Karenzu, Luvungi, Itara 1, Democratic Republic of the Congo
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Plants 2024, 13(4), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040471
Submission received: 13 October 2023 / Revised: 2 February 2024 / Accepted: 3 February 2024 / Published: 6 February 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Development and Morphogenesis)

Abstract

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an essential crop with increasing importance for food supply and as raw material for industrial processing. The crop is vegetatively propagated through stem cuttings taken at the end of the growing cycle and its low multiplication rate and the high cost of stem transportation are detrimental to the increasing demand for high-quality cassava planting materials. Rapid multiplication of vegetative propagules of crops comprises tissue culture (TC) and semi-autotroph hydroponics (SAH) that provide cost-effective propagation of plant materials; however, they contrast the need for specific infrastructure, special media and substrates, and trained personnel. Traditional methods such as TC and SAH have shown promise in efficient plant material propagation. Nonetheless, these techniques necessitate specific infrastructure, specialized media and substrates, as well as trained personnel. Moreover, losses during the intermediate nursery and adaptation stages limit the overall effectiveness of these methods. Building upon an earlier report from Embrapa Brazil, which utilized mature buds from cassava for rapid propagation, we present a modified protocol that simplifies the process for wider adoption. Our method involves excising single nodes with attached leaves from immature (green) cassava stems at 2 months after planting (MAP). These nodes are then germinated in pure water, eliminating the need for specific growth substrates and additional treatments. After the initial phase, the rooted sprouts are transferred into soil within 1–8 weeks. The protocol demonstrates a high turnover rate at minimal costs. Due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and robustness, this method holds significant promise as an efficient means of producing cassava planting materials to meet diverse agricultural needs.
Keywords: leaf bud; sprouting; rooting; multiplication; cost-effective; disease-free; water leaf bud; sprouting; rooting; multiplication; cost-effective; disease-free; water
Graphical Abstract

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Sheat, S.; Mushi, E.; Gwandu, F.; Sikirou, M.; Baleke, P.; Kayondo, S.I.; Kulembeka, H.; Adetoro, N.; Winter, S. Cut, Root, and Grow: Simplifying Cassava Propagation to Scale. Plants 2024, 13, 471. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040471

AMA Style

Sheat S, Mushi E, Gwandu F, Sikirou M, Baleke P, Kayondo SI, Kulembeka H, Adetoro N, Winter S. Cut, Root, and Grow: Simplifying Cassava Propagation to Scale. Plants. 2024; 13(4):471. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040471

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sheat, Samar, Edda Mushi, Francisca Gwandu, Mouritala Sikirou, Patrick Baleke, Siraj Ismail Kayondo, Heneriko Kulembeka, Najimu Adetoro, and Stephan Winter. 2024. "Cut, Root, and Grow: Simplifying Cassava Propagation to Scale" Plants 13, no. 4: 471. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040471

APA Style

Sheat, S., Mushi, E., Gwandu, F., Sikirou, M., Baleke, P., Kayondo, S. I., Kulembeka, H., Adetoro, N., & Winter, S. (2024). Cut, Root, and Grow: Simplifying Cassava Propagation to Scale. Plants, 13(4), 471. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040471

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