Comparative Analysis of Manihot esculenta (Cassava) Species Growth in Liberia Agro-ecological Zone

Abstract

Manihot esculenta varieties were experimented in the tropical rain forest ecological zone of Liberia at Central Agricultural Research Institute with latitude 7°14"N and longitude 3°26"E to compare the growth indicators. The research was conducted from May 2019 to April 2020 with temperature mean of 33.47°C and mean relative humidity of 77.38 %. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 17. Two local varieties of cassava known as Butter cassava and Bentenlay while the four exotic varieties coded as 91/0430, 92/0057, 01/0040 and 01.1206 where grown to compare the growth indicators. The Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used as the research design. The null hypothesis stated that the introduction of exotic breeds of cassava into the Liberia agro-ecological zone will not grow. At 9 months after planting, Bentenlay and Butter Cassava had no significant difference in their plant height means with 227.55 cm and 230.55 cm respectively. Even at 6 and 9 months after planting, there were no significant difference in the leave width means for all varieties. At the 9 months after planting the mean leave length showed no significant difference as same superscripts was ranked for all varieties. At 9 months after planting, the mean number of leaves showed no significant difference. At 9 months after planting, Bentenlay had the maximum mean of 39.62 for the number of petioles. At 9 months after planting, there were no significant difference in the mean number of branches. The conclusions reached here are based on the data findings gathered from the analysis, Bentenlay and Butter Cassava (local varieties) had the maximum plant height means. The other growth parameters mean like leave width, leave length, number of leaves results showed no significant difference. The six varieties of cassava did well in the sandy loam soil.