Cassava plays a significant role in global food security as a staple food crop for billions of people in developing countries. However, the systematic summary of recent studies on cassava production has not been thoroughly compiled. This study aimed to identify key aspects of cassava production, with a particular focus on the effects of fertilization, through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A search of the Scopus database from 1970 to 2022 identified 229 studies on cassava production, of which 83 met the inclusion criteria and were categorized into eight main topics: soil, pest and disease control, genetics and biotechnology, crop management, land, postharvest and physiology, modeling, and environmental factors. The meta-analysis of studies regarding fertilizer application (n = 7) revealed a modest overall effect of fertilization on cassava yield (effect size = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.53–0.96), with micronutrients and macronutrients showing more significant effects compared to organic fertilizers. Additionally, the study found that regional differences influenced fertilization effectiveness, with South America and Southeast Asia showing higher positive responses to fertilization compared to Africa, likely due to varying soil fertility and nutrient limitations. Soil texture also significantly impacted fertilizer efficiency, with silt loam showing the highest fertilizer response. However, the results are based on a limited number of studies, highlighting a critical gap in agricultural research: the lack of comprehensive statistical reporting. This limitation hampers the ability to conduct more robust meta-analyses. Future research should focus on improving statistical reporting practices and exploring region-specific fertilizer strategies to enhance cassava yield sustainably.
Promnikorn et al. (Wed,) studied this question.