How to Prune Cassava Leaves to Increase Yield

Cassava (Manihot esculenta), also known as yucca, sweet potato tree and tapioca plant, is a shrubby perennial that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 to 11. The most valuable part of cassava is its roots, which are edible and resemble potatoes in appearance. According to a 2004 study published in the African Crop Science Journal, cassava plants that are cut back produce taller, more fruitful plants in the following season as compared to disbranched plants or those that are left untouched. This indicates that the cutback method is the best pruning method to increase cassava yield.

Bypass pruners

Instructions

- 1
  Prune plants eight months after planting, just before the cassava root harvest; this time is optimal to increase root yield and the growth of young stems and leaves in the following season. Conversely, pruning during the crop cycle -- between four and eight weeks after planting -- can have a significant negative effect on root yield.
- 2
  Place the bypass pruner on one of the cassava's vertical stems where it attaches to the crown, which is the dormant base of the plant. Cut with a firm, clean snip. Make your cut close to the crown, but not so close as to damage it.
- 3
  Repeat on all remaining stems, cutting each stem just above the crown. When you are finished, only the crown will remain.
- 4
  Cut back any young growth that appears after the initial cutback with bypass pruners.

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