Experimental Agriculture

Table of Contents - 1978 - Volume 14, Issue 02  

Research Article

Influence of Soil-applied Micronutrients on Cassava (Manihot esculenta) in Malaysian Tropical Oligotrophic Peat

W. Y. Chewa1, K. T. Josepha1 p1 and K. Ramlia1

a1 Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Peat Research Station, Jalan Kebun, Kelang, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

Two experiments to investigate the micronutrient requirements of cassava (cv Black Twig) on Malaysian peat soil are described. Cu was found to be the only essential micronutrient and Mn, Zn, Fe, Mo and B were not needed. Fertilizing with 20 kg/ha of copper sulphate approximately tripled tuber dry matter, and starch and Cu uptake, but applying 10 kg/ha of copper sulphate gave the same results. Each crop of cassava absorbed only about 2% of the applied Cu, giving a leaf Cu content of about 14 ppm compared with about 7 ppm in Cu-deficient plants. Cu deficiency symptoms were invariably observed in Cu-deficient plots and these are also described.

(Accepted May 24 1977)

Correspondence:

p1 Present address: Geography Department, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.