Chapter 24. Tropical Root Crop Production in Florida
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Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Chapter 24. 2012-2013 HS965 Tropical Root Crop Production in Florida M.L. Lamberts and S.M. Olson INTRODUCTION the CIAT variety ‘Mantiqueira’ at that same time because it was able to produce acceptable yields even with high There are four main tropical root crops produced in levels of rootknot nematode. The range of local genopytes Florida. In order of acreage, these are: tropical sweetpotato covers a few unnamed clones that have been imported (a.k.a. batatas, boniato or camote), taro (a.k.a malanga from various Caribbean basin countries. Federal regula- isleña or malanga), tannia, (a.k.a. malanga or yautía), and tions prohibit further importation of cuttings or botanical cassava. The following table alphabetically lists the botani- seed. cal families, scientific names and both English and Spanish common names for these crops. Taro – ‘Malanga Isleña,’ produces one large white- fleshed central corm; a few unnamed Polynesian types are grown for the Asian market. BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF TROPICAL ROOT CROPS Tannia – ‘South Dade White,’ producing white-fleshed cormels; ‘Malanga Amarilla,’ producing a yellow-fleshed edible corm; and ‘Vinola,’ producing purple-fleshed corm- Cassava - a short-lived perennial tropical shrub growing els. 3 to 12 ft. tall. Adventitious roots arise from stem cuttings. They vary in shape from long and slender to globose and Tropical sweetpotato – ‘Picadito’ is the main variety enlarge during the starch storage process. Stems are woody grown in Miami-Dade County. It has deeply lobed leaves and variously branched. Simple leaves, generally dark and wine colored skin. green, have palmate lobes. Taro - produces an enlarged edible corm. Its leaves are PLANTING AND SEEDING peltate and when viewed from the abaxial surface resemble a heart with a heavily pigmented spot at the point where Cassava - In Miami-Dade County, theoretically it can the petiole is attached to its adaxial surface. be planted year round (Table 1). Normally, the planting is done in the early spring due to slow early growth and the Tannia - produces an enlarged corm that may or may possibility of a winter frost. Stem cuttings 4–5" long are not be edible. Underground club-shaped cormels are pro- selected from the lower mature sections of healthy plants duced during later growth stages. Leaves have long peti- and planted horizontally, 3-6" below the soil surface in oles and broad sagittate lamina. shallow Rockdale soils. Cuttings are planted by hand in furrows spaced 48” apart with an in row spacing of 24". Tropical sweetpotato – resembles other sweetpotatoes grown in the United States, but the skin ranges in color Table 1. Planting information for cassava. from light pink to a deep wine red and the flesh is white Planting dates and starchier than yellow- or orange-fleshed cultivars. Miami-Dade Florida Year-round (mainly February to April) VARIETIES Planting information Distance between rows (in) 48 Cassava – varieties are often separated based of their cyanogenic glucoside (HCN) content into either low HCN, Distance between plants (in) 24 a.k.a. “sweet,” or high HCN, a.k.a. “bitter,” types. The Planting depth (in) 3 - 4 term “bitter” comes from a bitter flavor that is commonly Propagules needed per acre 5,445 believed to accompany the HCN. No named varieties are Days to harvest from planting 270 - 360 currently known in southern Florida. ‘Senorita’ was locally popular in the 1980s and attempts were made to introduce Plant populations (acre) 5,445 Page 345 This document is HS710, Horticultural Sciences Dept., UF/IFAS, Fla. Coop. Ext. Serv., January 2012 Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Page 346 Vegetable Production Handbook Table 2. Planting information for tannia and taro. Taro & Tannia – Apply all P2O5 , micronutrients, and Planting dates 25 to 50% of N and K2O in a band along the planted row one to two months after planting. Sidedress the remaining Miami-Dade Florida Year-round N and K2O by banding them on the side of the bed four (mainly February to April) months after planting as a layby. Specific fertilizer recom- Other areas (after danger of frost has mendations Rockdale soils are not available due to lack of passed, but early enough to a reliable and readily available soil analysis procedure for avoid frost or freezing before harvest. this soil type. In general, taro and tannia have medium to high requirements for N, medium to low requirements for Planting information P2O5 and medium requirements for K2O. Distance between rows (in) 48 Tropical sweetpotato – see Chapter 22, Sweetpotato Distance between plants (in) 24 Production in Florida. Planting depth (in) 3 - 4 Propagules needed per acre 5,445 Days to harvest from planting 270 - 360 IRRIGATION Plant populations (acre) 5,445 Cassava - has relatively low requirements for irrigation. But, during active growth stages it must be irrigated when Since unrooted cuttings are sensitive to water loss, the field extended dry spells occur. Water requirements and subse- should be irrigated soon after planting. quent irrigation requirements are reduced during the last few weeks of growth. This usually coincides with the dry Taro & Tannia - In Miami-Dade County, both crops can season when cassava is most likely to be affected by mites, be planted year round Table 2. Normally, the colder winter a situation which can be helped by using overhead irriga- months are avoided due to slow growth and susceptibil- tion since it increases humidity in the field. ity to frost. For tannia, the top portion of the mother corm is used for planting., For taro, the smaller unmarketable Taro & Tannia - grow best when the soil is maintained side shoots are used. Both are planted by hand in furrows moist, but not wet, at all times. Proper water management spaced 48" apart with an in row spacing of 24". Planting in is essential for optimum corm and cormel sizing. Water other parts of Florida should consider dates of last and first requirements and subsequent irrigation requirements may frosts, while allowing for a 9 – 14 month crop. be reduced during the last few weeks of growth. Tropical sweetpotato – In Miami-Dade County, this Tropical sweetpotato – see Chapter 22, Sweetpotato crop can be planted year round, though planting is some- Production in Florida. times delayed if extremely cold weather has been forecast. As with orange- or yellow-fleshed varieties, vine cuttings are used for planting. Planting in other parts of Florida CULTURAL PRACTICES should consider dates of last and first frosts. Soil Preparation Cassava - grows best when the soil is turned 2 to 3 FERTILIZER & LIME months before planting. Plowing early helps rot plant debris and reduce some nematode and disease problems. Soils in Cassava – Apply all P2O5 , micronutrients, and 25 to Miami-Dade County (except for marl soils) should be scari- 50% of N and K2O in a band along the planted row one to fied or “rock plowed” prior to planting to improve drain- two months after planting. Sidedress the remaining N and age and increase available soil depth. For cassava, marl K2O by banding them on the side of the bed four months soils will always produce the best-shaped and best-looking after planting as a layby. Specific fertilizer recommenda- storage roots. However, these soils are prone to flooding, tions for Rockdale soils are not available due to lack of a making them less desirable for cassava production. Plants reliable and readily available soil analysis procedure for grown on Rockdale soils must be irrigated during periods this soil type. In general, cassava has a medium require- of dry weather to avoid reduced yields. Wet weather for ment for N, P2O5 and K2O. Since the soils in Miami-Dade extended periods can cause leaching of N and K, requiring have a high pH, liming is not needed. There are no remedi- the addition of more fertilizer. More frequent applications ation materials for the high pH condition, though chelated of smaller amounts of fertilizer per application are sug- forms of micronutrients such as Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn can be gested for Rockdale soils. In general, fields that have not applied to treat deficiencies. produced a crop of cassava in the last 2 to 3 years are pre- ferred. Avoid fields that have very high nematode popula- tions or use a resistant variety if one is legally available. Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Chapter 24: Tropical Root Crop Production in Florida Page 347 Taro & Tanier - grow best when the soil is turned 2 to tannia or taro in the last 2 to 3 years are preferred. Avoid 3 months before planting. Plowing early helps rot plant fields that have very high nematode populations. debris and reduce some nematode and disease problems. Tropical sweetpotato - see Chapter 22, Sweetpotato Soils in Miami-Dade County (except for marl soils) Production in Florida. should be scarified or “rock plowed” prior to planting to improve drainage and increase available soil depth. For Bedding tannia, marl soils produce the best-shaped and best-looking Cassava, Taro & Tannia – Plants are established in cormels. These soils are preferred if supplemental irriga- rows on flat land. During the cultivation process, ridges are tion cannot be supplied. Plants grown on Rockdale soils formed down the rows of plants. Ridges provide a place must be irrigated during periods of dry weather to avoid for storage organ formation, improve drainage and facili- reduced yields. Wet weather for extended periods can tate harvesting. cause leaching of N and K, requiring the addition of more fertilizer. More frequent applications of fertilizer using Tropical sweetpotato – see Chapter 22, Sweetpotato smaller amounts each time are suggested for Rockdale Production in Florida.