Rooting performance of cassava cuttings due to the number of nodes and rooting media

Cassava is a major food security crop in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people. Stem cutting is the major propagation technique in commercial cassava production, despite its limitations in bulkiness and high cost. Research is lacking in optimizing the number of nodes for the most economical use of the planting material. It can be hypothesized that one or two node cuttings can be used in proper rooting media. Hence, a study was conducted to determine the appropriate number of nodes on selected rooting media for better rooting and shoot growth of cassava. A factorial combination of four number nodes (one, two, three, and standard, or 4–6 nodes) and four types of rooting media (sawdust, cocopeat, topsoil, and sand) was used in a completely randomized design with three replications. Nursery and field establishment data were collected. The result revealed that the interaction between the number of nodes and the media significantly (p