The effect of micro fertilizer on growth and yield of two cassava clones (Manihot esculenta Crantz) planting in early dry-season, South Lampung, Indonesia

Drought is one of the important climate changes that could affect the early planting of cassava to produce a high yield. Lampung province having a specific climate, wet tropical dry-season is the center of cassava production in Indonesia. Consequently, the objective was to evaluate the effect of micro fertilizers on the growth and yield of two cassava clones planting in the early dry season. This research was conducted on Ultisol soil of Tanjung Bintang District, South Lampung from May 2019 to April 2020. Treatment was arranged by factorial (2x2) in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) which 3 replications. The first factor was two applications of micro fertilizer, 0 and 40 kg ha −1 . The second factor was two cassava clones, UJ-5 and BW-1. Results showed that the leaf number of UJ-5 at 6 MAP and 9 MAP was increased by micro fertilizer. Yet, the leaf number of BW-1 at 6 MAP and 9 MAP was not increased by micro fertilizer. It seems that UJ-5 could be more tolerant to drought in early planting time. Consequently, the tuber fresh weight of UJ-5 was heavier due to micro fertilizer but lower starch content compared to BW-1. It could be concluded that UJ-5 when planted at early dry-season would show higher tuber fresh weight with lower starch content than BW-1.