Dynamics of nutrients under cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) grown in an Ultisol of Kerala

Abstract

Among the tropical tuber crops, cassava plays a significant role in the food, nutritional and livelihood security of around 500 million people globally. A crop of resource poor farmers of tropical less developed countries, it was found neglected by researchers in the early past with meagre global knowledge base. But during the later half of the 20th century , it was well understood both under Indian and International context that cassava requires sufficient research attention because of the comparative advantage over cereals and the opportunities for cassava to increase household food security and to economic diversification and finally on poverty alleiviation. During the last 40 years, sufficient information has been generated on the nutrient dynamics aspects of cassava realizing the fact that, it is a crop though grown in marginal soil, can respond well to manures and fertilizers. This review paper vividly describes the findings so far available on the different processes contributing to nutrient availability in cassava viz., nutrient flow, nutrient transformation, nutrient absorption and utilization along with its impact on yield and quality as well as the nutritional disorders caused due to disruption in the nutrient balance.