SAH cassava: Semi Autotrophic Hydroponics for Cassava Multiplication

A rapid quality seed delivery technology for cassava

Semi Autotrophic Hydroponics (SAH) for Cassava Multiplication is an innovative technology tailored for cassava propagation. Unlike traditional methods, SAH utilizes controlled environments with modified soil, plant roots, and limited water in trays. This fosters robust root growth while mitigating moisture-related diseases. The technique is cost-effective and adaptable, particularly for dispersed farming communities. SAH yields high-quality, disease-resistant cassava plantlets at a fraction of the production costs of tissue culture. This advancement not only expedites access to new cassava varieties but also bolsters overall productivity and resilience in cassava farming practices.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

9•9

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 9/9; level of use 9/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive medium

Under 18: Positive medium

Women: Positive medium

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

Environmental health: Moderately improves environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Water use: Same amount of water used

Problem

Slow Propagation of Improved Varieties: Traditional methods are time-consuming and limit the distribution of new cassava varieties.
Contamination Risks: Conventional propagation methods are prone to pests and diseases, hindering the quality of cassava planting material. SAH provides a controlled environment to mitigate these risks.
Limited Multiplication Ratios: Methods like seed and tissue culture have low multiplication ratios, resulting in few new planting materials from one seed.
Pathogen Susceptibility: Planting materials obtained from stem cuttings may be more susceptible to pests and diseases when planted in open fields.
Inefficiency in Scaling Production: Traditional methods may not be conducive to efficiently producing large quantities of cassava planting materials for wide-scale distribution.

Solution

Fast Propagation of Improved Varieties: SAH enables rapid access to new and improved cassava varieties by providing a controlled environment that accelerates the multiplication process.
Contamination Prevention: SAH minimizes the risk of contamination with pests and diseases by creating a controlled environment that promotes healthy root growth and discourages disease-causing factors.
Increased Multiplication Ratios: SAH significantly improves multiplication ratios compared to methods like seed and tissue culture, resulting in a higher number of new planting materials from one source.
Enhanced Disease Resistance: Planting materials produced through SAH are more resilient and less susceptible to pests and diseases when planted in open fields, compared to those obtained from stem cuttings.
Efficient Scaling of Production: SAH provides a cost-effective and adaptable solution for dispersed farming communities, making it feasible to efficiently produce large quantities of cassava planting materials for widespread distribution. This addresses the inefficiency in traditional production methods.

Key points to design your project

This technology tackles slow propagation and contamination issues in improved varieties in cassava. With a positive impact on climate, it's easily applicable in dispersed farming communities, especially benefiting women and young people. This contributes to reducing poverty, hunger, and improving overall well-being.

To integrate this technology into your project, create a list of project activities and prerequisites:

- Estimate the quantity of plantlets needed for your project knowing that 50,000 SAH plantlets are sufficient for cultivating 16 hectares of land.

- As the technology is developed in Nigeria and available in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia, include the delivery cost to the project site and account for import clearance and duties if relevant.

A team of trainers could provide training and support during project installation. Include the cost for training and post-training support for using the technology.

Communication support for the technology should be developed (flyers, videos, radio broadcasts, etc.)

For better optimization of this technology, it is recommended to associate this technology with Disease resistant cassava varieties, Golden cassava varieties (Vitamin A fortified), Cassava varieties with high dry matter and starch content.

To implement the technology in your country, you could collaborate with agricultural development institutes and seed multiplication companies.

Cost: $$$ 10,000 USD

Setup up for a 40 sq. meter facility

ROI: $$$ 80 %

over one year

0.05 USD

operating cost per plant

0.05 - 1 USD

Production cost

116 %

ROI over 3 year

IP

Unknown

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Sierra Leone	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Togo	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 1: no poverty

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 3: good health and well-being

Tissue Culture Production: Begin by producing tissue-cultured (in vitro) cassava plantlets under semi-hydroponic and semi-controlled environmental conditions.

Mother Plant Preparation: Cut the tissue-cultured plantlets into mother plants. These mother plants will serve as the source for further propagation.

Tray Setup: Place the mother plants into trays with modified soil. Ensure that the trays are adequately spaced to allow for proper growth.

Growth Chamber Placement: Transfer the trays with the mother plants into a growth chamber. This chamber provides a controlled environment that is conducive for root development.

Recutting: After 2-3 weeks, recut the mother plants to obtain two plantlets from one. This step effectively multiplies the number of available plantlets.

Root Development: Return the recut plantlets to the growth chamber for an additional 6-8 weeks. During this period, the plantlets will develop well-formed roots.

Transportation: Trays can be transported in perforated cardboard boxes for up to 48 hours. This allows for convenient transportation to the planting site.

Planting: Plant the developed cassava plantlets directly in open fields or in screen houses for further breeding or production.

Last updated on 22 May 2024