It is not clear how the effects of water availability and drought cause changes in starch quality.
Nevertheless, it is apparent that water stress does affect plant productivity and starch quality, especially if this condition prevails during the period of early plant development.
Cassava can be planted throughout the year but the plant will grow only when sufficient water is available to support development.
Initial water stress may retard the growth mechanism(s) and allow the plant
to enter:remain in a dormant state.
Therefore, starch quality can be recovered if plant growth is extended long enough to ensure complete maturity of the plant (Defloor et al., 1998a).
The apparent ‘inferior’ starch properties encountered in the present study reflect the inadequate time allowed for the plant to reach a desired level of maturity.
With an understanding of the influence(s) of conditions prevailing during plant
growth on starch quality, better management and handling systems can be established. This should help minimize the variation in starch quality and provide an opportunity for extending cassava production.
It is recommended that cassava should, as practiced, be planted at the start of the rainy season.
Alternative plantation of cassava during the dry season will require better farm management and water irrigation to assure starch quality.