Cassava: is a substitutive foodstuff

Cassava: is a substitutive foodstuff or industrial matters

Cassava is a plant which is potentially developed as a substitutive foodstuff or industrial matters. However, the narrower of agricultural land requires a technological package to improve the production and quality of cassava per wide unit. One of employed technological packages is agro mineral usage as the source of Calcium. However, only limited researches discuss about the influence of calcium application toward the growth of cassava, either in terms of productivity (size and production) or quality (starch and sugar content). Therefore, the research about gypsum application to promote the growth of cassava is needed.

This study aims at finding out the appropriate dose of calcium to improve the productivity (size and production) or quality (starch and sugar content), and finding out the appropriate harvest time in relation to the improvement of productivity of cassava.

It employs Factorial Group Random Design which is repeated three times. Factor I is gypsum which consists of three levels, namely 0 ton ha-1, 4 ton ha-1, and 6 ton ha-1. Then, Factor II is harvest time, namely 90 days and 120 days. Slips of cassava with length of 25 cm and 7 buds are planted. The plot which is used is 5 x 4 m2 with planting distance of 100 x 25 cm2.

Findings show that gypsum dose application treatment with 4 ton/ha dose produces good crops, especially vegetative parameter whereas quality parameter does not show significant results. The highest starch content is achieved in the harvest time of 90 HST, whereas the highest sugar content is achieved 120 HST, either for sari or cangkuang variety.

It is suggested that further researches about the usage of gypsum as one of agro mineral usages will improve the content of starch and sugar more effectively, especially in the application time. If gypsum is used as the source of nutrients, it should be given several days before cassava is planted and spread evenly so that it will be more effective.