American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 16 (2): 252-256, 2016 ISSN 1818-6769 © IDOSI Publications, 2016 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2016.16.2.12723 Corresponding Author: Luiz Henrique Campos de Almeida, State University of Londrina. 252 Sweet Cassava Growing, Yield and Harvest Indexes in Different Population Densities Luiz Henrique Campos de Almeida, Eli Carlos de Oliveira, 1 1 Édison Miglioranza and Teresa Losada Valle 1 2 Agronomy Department, Londrina State University-UEL, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil 1 Root and Tubers Section, Agronomic Institute Campinas-IAC, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil 2 Abstract: The adequate choice in different population densities of crops for improving the yield of available natural resources resulting in increase productivity and quality in the harvested product. The objective of this study has been to evaluate the influence on the plant population in the productivity of sweet cassava, growing IAC 14-18 and harvesting in different periods. Four population densities were studied, varying from 9,000 to 33,000 plants ha , in six harvest times, beginning in the fourth and concluding 24 months after planting. The 1 maximum productivity of 84.5 t ha was observed in the mass from the plants after 21 months. The best harvest 1 time for growing roots occurred at 19 months with a yield of 42 t ha . The 33,000 plants was the highest 1 population density ha that brought about the lowest harvest yield index (H). 1 Key words: Assimilated partition Fresh root mass Harvest time Manihot esculenta Crantz and Total dry plant mass INTRODUCTION consumption has become more noteworthy due to its Cassava can be consumed in natura (naturally) as consumption. well as through its sub-products, as meal, chips, bread, However, there is a lot of technical information still cookies and beverages. There are varieties for industrial missing on growing sweet cassava, such as planting time, usage and they can be consumed by human beings just the number of plants for a given area, plant nutrition, pest after cooking processes. What determines if cassava root control, diseases and harvest times; different from can be consumed or not, directly or through industrial cassava intended for industry, as it is possible to verify in process is its concentration of cyanogenic compounds diverse studies in literature [6-9] regarding the density of [1]. planting. Sweet cassava crops can be consumed naturally, as Knowledge and adequate handling of plant density it contains less than 100 ppm of cyanuric acid (HCN) in for a given area can promote great changes in plant the raw pulp from the roots [2]. The main characteristic, development, also the ideal adjustment for sweet cassava added to others, may more or less important in has not been studied in great detail and the growers are determining the quality of product in regards to consumer unaware of its benefits as well. Plants when grown more demands, such as culinary quality, cooking time, color of densely provide greater productivity, although they the suberosal skin, color of root pulp, size, shape and present reduced root size, which can negatively impact among others [3, 4]. the quality when the crop is sold. On the other hand, Cassava roots are rich in carbohydrates. when planting is done less densely, the roots become According to FAO [5], cassava is the third most individually more quickly developed and therefore, important source of calories in the tropics, followed by provide more commercial quality. rice and corn. Sweet cassava is frequently found growing Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the in Brazilian backyard gardens and it is also grown in larger influence from the number of plants per given area on the areas for commercial purposes aimed at horticultural productivity of sweet cassava plants when growing IAC markets. Recently cassava intended for natural 14-18 harvested at different times. characteristics as related to foodstuffs for human