Estimate cassava (manioc) fresh and dry tuber yield from planting density (row × plant spacing) and average tuber weight per plant. Used by smallholders and commercial farms in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Enter row spacing, plant spacing, tuber weight per plant, area, and dry matter content to get plants per hectare and fresh/dry yield.
Plants/ha = 10,000 ÷ (Row Spacing m × Plant Spacing m)
Fresh Yield (t/ha) = Plants/ha × Tuber Weight kg ÷ 1000
Dry Yield (t/ha) = Fresh Yield × Dry Matter%
Cassava dry matter is typically 30-40% (higher in improved varieties, lower in sweet varieties).
Nigeria smallholder: 1m × 1m spacing = 10,000 plants/ha. Average 5 kg tubers/plant: Fresh yield = 10,000 × 5 ÷ 1000 = 50 t/ha. At 35% DM: Dry = 17.5 t/ha. For 1 ha: 50 tons fresh. (Note: actual smallholder yields average 10-25 t/ha due to lower plant survival and smaller tubers.)
1. Measure row and plant spacing (typical: 1m×1m = 10,000 plants/ha, or 0.8m×0.8m = 15,625). 2. Harvest 10-20 plants and weigh total tubers, average per plant. 3. Enter area. 4. Dry matter (30-40%). Calculate.
Cassava is the 3rd largest source of carbohydrates globally, feeding 500M+ people in the tropics. Nigeria is the world's largest producer (~60M tons/year) but yields are low (10-15 t/ha) vs Thailand (20-25 t/ha) and experimental plots (40-80 t/ha). Yield gaps come from poor soils, low fertilizer, pests (cassava mosaic disease, mealybug), and late harvesting.
Counting planted stakes vs surviving plants — mortality can be 10-30%. Harvesting too early (before 10-12 months) reduces yield; too late (after 18 months) increases woodiness and post-harvest deterioration. Not accounting for planting density — closer spacing increases total yield but reduces per-plant tuber size.
✓ Expert Reviewed: This calculator and its content have been reviewed by agricultural experts. Formulas are based on standard extension service recommendations.