Tambayan ng Kaalaman Tungkol sa Pilipinas
BIO-CONTROL OF CROP DISEASES
Many of our local plants contain helpful chemicals, particularly alkaloids, that are effective against fungal and bacterial diseases of other plants. Thus, they are mixed with the soil to control the fungus that causes the diseases of seedlings. Allow the leaves to decompose for about one week before transplanting the seedlings. Some of these leaves are as follows:
CASSAVA
Cassava can be a long term plant, from six months to two years depending upon the use it is
intended for. Although this grows anywhere that the soil is loose and not water logging, and
rich, farmers do not care much for it. Many are still unaware that besides being second to rice
among crops, cassava is valuable in industry. From cassava, alcohol, glucose, solvent,
explosives, animal feed, fertilizers, energy and others are derived.
There are many kinds of cassava that are well adapted to our climate, but only four of these
are common because of their low hydrocyanic acid content. There are Golden Yellow,
Katabang, Macan and Brasil. Two others used in the manufacture of starch are the Hawaiian
5 and Java Brown. The Mandica Sao Pedro Preto is not edible because of its high poison
content.
PLANTING
1. Cassava may be planted at any season, but it is better if the soil is always wet in the first
4-5 weeks after planting.
2. The stem to be planted must be from a matured plant, about a year old, 25 cm long with 5-7
nodes from bottom stem. The thickness of the stem must not be smaller than half of the fattest
part of the stem from where it is cut. If the stem is smaller than this, it will not have much
nutrient content with which to start the new plant, so the roots and growths will be small.
3. Cut the stem crosswise with a sharp bolo. Avoid bruises and breaks and plant within the
week when the stem are cut. The stem to be planted can last up to 10 days if these are
wrapped in a wet cloth or sack and placed in any airy and shady place. If it is not possible to
plant immediately, these will still grow within a month if it is sprayed with any of the following
before storage: Orthocide or Daconil, Manzate, Dithane, Demosan, Brassicol, Visigran or
Agallol. It should be stored in a shady, humid or cool place with temperature between 20-30 C.
Land Preparation
Like any land preparation for planting, plow the land to remove weeds and grasses. Let it
stand for another week and plow for the third time.
1. Make hills about 75 cm apart from one another, depending on the kind to planted.
2. With the help of a pointed stick, make a hole about 18 cm deep in each hill where the stem
are to be planted, one in each hole.
3. Plant early in the morning or late afternoons during summer or anytime when the sun is
cool.
Three methods of planting cassava
a. Horizontal – during summer so that the plant will kept moist.
b. Vertical – during rainy days so that it will not rot if constantly wet.
c. Slanting – between the two season mentioned.
In planting, unless the stem is horizontal, bury 3/4 of the stem in the soil
and cover the 1/4 with 10 cm fine soil.
1. After a month, other short term crops may be planted in between the cassava plants. But if
the other plants will be as high as the cassava as they grow, they can be planted at the same
time.
2. When applying fertilizer for a second time, hill up around the plants, as in corn fertilizing.
3. Cassava needs watering, especially in the first two months of its growth, when the root crop is begging to grow
Source:tekno tulong
Cassava foliage:cheap alternative to carabao feeds
By:Rita T. dela Cruz
BAR today april-june 2002
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) has been an important food source in many developing countries. It’s an ideal food-security crop because of its capacity to adapt to unfavorable conditions. It grows even in poor soil and in areas where other crops fail to be productive, and is resistant to drought and pest infestation.
In the Philippines, cassava tubers are dietary staple and important source of carbohydrate for both man and livestock, and are important cash crop. The cassava tubers also have industrial purposes, particularly as cassava flour, which is now being used as substitute for commercially manufactured flour.
Unknown to many, one of the potentials of cassava farming that hasn’t been fully utilized is the use of cassava foliage as animal feeds.
In a recent study conducted by the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), scientists found that cassava foliage could be used as a potential feed for ruminants. The scientists tried to evaluate the biological and economic potentials of processed cassava leaves as feed for carabaos. Headed by Dr. Caro Salces of PCC, the study was conducted at the Center in Ubay, Bohol.
The study aims to determine effective means to detoxify the cassava foliage for animal feeding purposes, to know the effect of processed cassava foliage on the growth of the carabaos, to identify the effect of sulfur feed supplement on the growth rate of carabaos that were fed with cassava foliage, and to determine the profitability of integrating livestock in a cassava-based farming.
Detoxifying the poison in cassava One limiting factor in using cassava as animal feed is the presence of potential toxic concentrations of cyanide or hydrocyanic acid (HCN). For human consumption, the toxicity of cassava is resolved by cooking. This is the reason why it is not recommended to eat cassava uncooked.
Cassava leaves are important source of micronutrients, protein fiber and ash, which are essential in animal feeds but along with these essential elements is a high cyanide concentration which ranges from 189 parts per million (ppm) to about 2466 ppm depending on the variety.