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INIPASTI.COM – Karawang,- One of the focuses of the Ministry of Agriculture’s program in 2022 is to encourage increased production and downstreaming of local food commodities, such as cassava. Cassava or commonly called cassava is a food crop commodity whose role is extraordinary. These food crop commodities are not only used as food ingredients but also as industrial raw materials and animal feed so that they can certainly improve the welfare of farming communities and strengthen the national economy.
The Director General of Food Crops, Suwandi explained that Cassava is one of the local food commodities that has the potential to be developed both in terms of cultivation and downstream in accordance with the Program of the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) in How to Act, namely the development of local food diversification.
“The order of the Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Limpo, is to raise local food with high economic value. This has a direct impact on the welfare of farmers and the national economy. Pay attention to the management of pests and diseases of cassava so that cassava production can increase,” concluded Suwandi when giving directions in Bimtek Daring Propaktani episode 341 in Jakarta.
One of the challenges faced in the upstream sector, especially in cassava cultivation activities, is the attack of pests and diseases from seed to harvest. Yusmani, a researcher at Balitkabi explained that the factors that trigger pests in cassava include the diversity of planting time, hot weather conditions, shorter insect life cycles and environmental resistance due to the use of synthetic pesticides.
“One of the pests that often attack is the red mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch). In severely affected plants, the tubers produced are small, so that it directly affects the quantity of crop yields,” explained Yusmani.
Sumartini, the principal researcher of Balitkabi explained that disease is the result of the interaction between the host, pathogen, the environment and humans as the manager. Diseases that attack cassava can be in the form of fungi or fungi, bacteria. The affected part can be the stem, leaves and tubers. “It is hoped that disease control in cassava can be carried out in an integrated manner by prioritizing the use of biological/biological pesticides,” said Sumartini.
Each field officer is expected to understand the characteristics and biolecology of each pest so that management actions can be targeted.
