Resumen

ROJAS, R et al. Planting density effect of the cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz) crop development and yielding under agroecological conditions of Maracaibo plain. Rev. Fac. Agron. [online]. 2007, vol.24, n.1, pp.94-112. ISSN 0378-7818.

With the purpose of evaluating the planting density effect on the development and yielding of cassava Manihot esculenta Crantz crop, under agro ecological conditions of Maracaibo plain, an essay it was made in the Experimental Farm "Ana Maria Campos" of the University of Zulia. A life region considered as very dry tropical forest with a rainfall of 400 600 mm.year^-1, an average temperature of 28°C, sandy loam soils and ph 5 - 6. Two study factors were evaluated: 1.Distance between rows (DBR): 1.5 m, 2 m, 2.5 m and 2. Distance between plants (DBP): 0.8 m, 1.0 m, and 1.2 m). The statistical analysis used was an arrangement in plots divided into blocks at random with five repetitions. Variance analysis determined a signifficative effect (P<0.01) of the study factor DBR on the plant height, stem diameter, canopy width, leaves number, weight of commercial roots per plant and weight of commercial roots per hectare. DBP affected in a signifficative way (P<0.01) the canopy width, the leaves number, plant and weight of commercial roots per hectare variables. DBR of 2 m, and DBP of 0.8 m, gave the major yielding of commercial roots per hectare with 22867 kg.ha^-1 and 20788 kg.ha^-1, respectively.

Palabras clave : Manihot esculenta Crantz; planting density; developing; yielding; Maracaibo plain.