Studies on the Mineral Nutrition of Cassava (Manihot Utilissima Pohl.).

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Abstract
The paper relates the results of a sand culture experiment designed to study the physiological basis for the fertilization of cassava (M. utilissima). Chemical analyses of the roots were run to determine the effects of the mineral nutrients, N, P, and K on the composition of the roots. The following conclusions were drawn: 1. P and N under the experimental conditions, proved to be the most important nutrients for cassava. Where P was omitted from the fertilizers, the poorest yields were omitted from the fertilizers, the poorest yields were obtained and the reduction in the starch content paralleled the fall in root weight. Treatment N1P1K1 produced 32% of starch whereas N1PoK1 gave 25%. 2. Where K was omitted from the nutrients the weight of shoots increased while that of roots dropped. This result can be explained on the basis of a K requirement for the translocation of carbohydrates. 3. By raising the N level, the weights of shoots and roots increased. However, the starch content of the roots fell from 32 to 24% and the increase in root yield did not compensate for such a drop. On the other hand there was a corresponding increase of about 50% in the protein content where the plants were given the higher doses of nitrogen.

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