Assessment of the Performance of Improved Cassava Varieties Under Smallholder Conditions in Cross River State

Improved cassava varieties from IITA offer significant productivity and quality advantages over traditional varieties, but their actual performance in smallholder farming conditions in the South South zone is conditioned by management practices, soil type, and agroecology that differ from research station conditions. This study assessed the performance of five improved cassava varieties (TMS 98-0581, TMS 30555, TMS 4(2)1425, TMEB693, and TMS 95-0289) under farmer-managed conditions in Abi and Yakurr LGAs, Cross River State, South South Nigeria. A multi-environment trial was conducted across 10 farmer fields (2 per variety) during the 2023 growing season. Fresh root yield, dry matter content, harvest index, and starch content were measured at 12 months after planting. A structured questionnaire assessed farmer acceptance of each variety based on yield, ease of processing, and taste. Results showed that TMS 30555 produced the highest fresh root yield (32.4 t ha-1) and TMEB693 the highest dry matter content (34.2 percent). Farmer preference assessment showed the highest acceptance score for TMS 30555 for yield and TMEB693 for processing quality. All five improved varieties significantly outperformed the common local check variety (18.7 t ha-1) for fresh root yield. The study recommends TMS 30555 for yield-focused farmers and TMEB693 for processing-oriented farmers in Cross River State, and advocates for accelerated varietal dissemination through state seed multiplication programmes.

Keywords: cassava varieties, variety evaluation, Cross River State, smallholder conditions, variety adoption