The stem pre-harvest pruning of cassava plants (
Manihot esculenta
Crantz) can be done with different pourpouses. The aim
of this study was to evaluate the effects of a system of three pruning heights in three harvest moments, on the yield and on
root commercial characteristics. The assay was carried out in Corrientes Province, Argentina. The cultivars or clones Rocha
and Santacatarina were evaluated and four treatments were established, a control with no pruning and the three other
treatments according to the pruning height (apical, intermediate, basal); their effects were recorded at 60, 75 and 90 days
after pruning (ddpo). The stem diameter and the number, length and diameter of the roots; as well as the total root yield
were measured. The results showed that the pruning-harvest period, more than the height of the pruning's itself, changed the
behaviour of both cultivars. Pruning increased the early yield of the cv Santacatarina (60 ddpo), while in the cv Rocha
pruning was favourable only when the harvest was late (90 ddpo) in relation to their respective controls. The potential yield
of control plants was opposed to the pruned plants, it was observed that Santacatarina is a late clon and Rocha is an early
clon. Pruning heights particularly conditioned the performance of the cv Santacatarina root yield, while cv Rocha was less
sensitive to those treatments.