Sree Visakham
A 1977 CTCRI hybrid, a parent of Sree Rekha, listed for Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and the north-east. 10 months, 35-38 t/ha, 26% starch, light yellow flesh and 466 IU carotene per 100 g. The sources disagree on whether the plant branches.
Quick facts
- Type
- Stem cutting (clonal planting material)
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 10 months (CTCRI bulletin and web page)
- Expected yield
- 35-38 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin); 35-38 t/ha (CTCRI web page)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released 1977 · ICAR-CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram, a hybrid (CTCRI bulletin, Table 3)
About this variety
Sree Visakham is a hybrid cassava variety released in 1977 by ICAR-CTCRI. CTCRI's bulletin describes a tall, erect, branching plant with a dark sepia mature stem, a light brown emerging leaf and dark green, broad mature leaves with a dark green petiole, and light yellow tuber flesh. It takes 10 months, gives 35-38 t/ha with 26% starch, and is recommended for Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and the north-eastern region. CTCRI's older web page calls it a non-branching tall plant of 2-2.5 m with 466 IU of carotene per 100 g, 25-27% starch, less susceptible to spider mite and scale insect. Sree Visakham is a parent of Sree Rekha.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Sree Visakham if you farm in a state outside the usual southern four, such as Maharashtra, Assam or the north-east, and want a variety CTCRI recommends there. Since 1977 it has had the widest state list in the CTCRI table, together with Sree Sahya. It takes 10 months, gives 35-38 t/ha, has 26% starch, light yellow flesh, and a carotene content of 466 IU per 100 g on the older web page. The web page also calls it less susceptible to spider mite and scale insect. It is not listed as mosaic resistant, and the sources disagree on its branching: set the spacing after you see your own plants.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeMay-June with the south-west monsoon, or September-October with the north-east monsoon; December-January if irrigated (CTCRI).
- SpacingBranching types: 90 x 90 cm in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, 90 x 75 cm in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh (CTCRI Table 7). About 2,500 stems a hectare at 90 x 90 cm.
- Sowing methodCut setts of 15-20 cm with about five nodes from mature, healthy stems 2-3 cm thick, discard the top third, and plant them vertically 5 cm deep, one sett to a mound (CTCRI). Good planting stakes show latex at the cut end.
- FertilizerCTCRI: 12.5 t/ha FYM and 100:50:100 kg N:P2O5:K2O. Put all the phosphorus and half the nitrogen and potash on at planting, and the rest at 45-60 days with weeding.
- HarvestingHarvest at the listed duration, 10 months.
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Well-drained loam; saline, alkaline and ill-drained soils are not suitable, and cassava cannot thrive on waterlogged soil (CTCRI)
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
10 months (CTCRI bulletin and web page)
Expected yield
35-38 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin); 35-38 t/ha (CTCRI web page)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Cassava mosaic disease (CMD), spread by whitefly and by infected cuttings
- Cercospora leaf spot
- Tuber rot in waterlogged soil
Major pests
Management notes
- Use clean stakes only: CTCRI allows 0.10% mosaic-affected plants in foundation seed and 0.50% in certified seed, so take stakes from a crop with no mosaic and pull out any diseased plant early.
- Keep two sprouts on each plant: nip off the extra sprouts 10-15 days after sprouting and keep two on opposite sides, which means more tubers per plant (CTCRI).
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- The widest state list in the CTCRI table, including Assam and the north-east.
- A carotene figure of 466 IU per 100 g and light yellow flesh (CTCRI web page).
- A parent of Sree Rekha, so it has a long record in farmers' fields.
Things to consider
- Not listed as resistant to cassava mosaic disease.
- Starch is 26%, low for a factory buyer.
- The bulletin says branching and the web page non-branching, so the spacing is uncertain.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Kerala
- Tamil Nadu
- Karnataka
- Maharashtra
- Assam
- Andhra Pradesh
Branching or non-branching: set the spacing after you see the plants
CTCRI's two sources describe Sree Visakham differently. The bulletin says tall, erect and branching. The older web page says non-branching and tall, 2 to 2.5 m. This matters because CTCRI sets the spacing by habit: 90 x 90 cm for branching types in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh (90 x 75 cm in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra), and 75 x 75 cm for non-branching ones.
The practical answer is to watch the plant. Plant a first block at 90 x 90 cm if you think it branches, or 75 x 75 if not. At 6 to 8 weeks, look at whether the stem forks. If it forks low and the canopy closes early, widen the next planting; if it stays a single stem, you can plant closer next time. Do not copy a neighbour's spacing for a different clone sold under the same name.
Can you save seed from this crop?
Cassava is planted from stem cuttings, not seed. Take stakes from a healthy crop of 6-7 months for a short-duration variety or 9-10 months for a long one, keep them upright in shade, and avoid damaging the nodes in transport. The same variety gets weaker if you keep re-using stakes from poor plants, so refresh your planting material from a clean source now and then.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Tapioca (Cassava) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-165 | Tamil Nadu, 8-month industrial | 8 months (CTCRI); 8-9 months (ISTI portal) | 33-38 t/ha | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka |
| H-226 | Starch and sago, Tamil Nadu | 10 months (CTCRI and ISTI portal) | 30-35 t/ha | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka |
| H-97 | Dry-land farms in four southern states that want a drought-tolerant, high-starch, long-tested variety for factory sale | 10 months (CTCRI bulletin and Indian Horticulture 2025) | 25-35 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin, web page and Indian Horticulture 2025) | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh |
| Sree Apoorva | Starch-factory farms in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh that want a stable, high extractable starch triploid | 10 months (CTCRI bulletin) | 35-40 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin); 37.60 t/ha (CTCRI web page) | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala |
| Sree Athulya | High-starch triploid, irrigated plains | 10 months (CTCRI bulletin) | 35-40 t/ha (CTCRI); 39.00 t/ha (ISTI portal) | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh |
| Sree Harsha | Starch-factory farms in Kerala and Tamil Nadu that are paid by the percentage of starch | 10 months (CTCRI bulletin and Indian Horticulture 2025) | 35-40 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin and Indian Horticulture 2025) | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Sree Jaya | Best-cooking six-month crop | 6-7 months | 26-30 t/ha | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Sree Kaveri | Industrial cassava farmers in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala who want mosaic resistance and a high yield | 9-10 months (CTCRI bulletin); 10 months (Indian Horticulture 2025) | 40-50 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin); 50 t/ha (Indian Horticulture 2025) | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala |
| Sree Padmanabha | Rainfed Kerala and irrigated Tamil Nadu farms in mosaic-prone areas that want a proven, older resistant variety | 9-10 months (CTCRI bulletin); 270-300 days (CTCRI web page) | 29-30 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin); 38 t/ha (CTCRI web page) | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Sree Pavithra | Low-potash soils, cooking | 9-10 months | 35-40 t/ha (CTCRI); 35-45 t/ha in a review table | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Sree Prabha | Mixed-use farms in four states that want a medium-height variety for both lowland and upland | 9-10 months (CTCRI bulletin) | 35-40 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin) | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh |
| Sree Prakash | Kerala lowland and paddy-rotation farms that want a quick, 7-month cassava | 7 months (CTCRI bulletin and web page) | 30-35 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin and web page) | Kerala |
| Sree Rekha | Mixed upland and lowland | 8-10 months (CTCRI variety page); 9-10 in the bulletin | 35-40 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin); 45-48 t/ha (CTCRI variety page, review table and ISTI portal) | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka |
| Sree Reksha | Kerala and Tamil Nadu farms that sell cassava to eat and want mosaic resistance and a longer shelf life after harvest | 8-9 months (CTCRI bulletin and Indian Horticulture 2025) | 40-45 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin); 45-50 t/ha (Indian Horticulture 2025) | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Sree Sahya | Farms in dry or mixed conditions across many states that want high starch and a dependable, old variety | 10-11 months (CTCRI bulletin, web page and Indian Horticulture 2025) | 35-40 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin, web page and Indian Horticulture 2025) | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh |
| Sree Sakthi | Industrial cassava farms in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Kerala where mosaic disease is severe | 9-10 months (CTCRI bulletin) | 40-45 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin) | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala |
| Sree Suvarna | Farms that want a short, mosaic-proof cassava with low cyanogen for fresh use | 7-8 months (CTCRI bulletin) | 35-40 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin) | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh |
| Sree Swarna | Kerala farms that sell cassava to eat and want a yellow-fleshed, early-bulking type | 7-8 months (CTCRI bulletin); early bulking at 7 months (CTCRI web page) | 35-40 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin); 40 t/ha (CTCRI web page) | Kerala |
| Sree Vijaya | Six-month crop after rice | 6 months (CTCRI variety page); 6-7 or 7 months in other CTCRI documents | 25-28 t/ha | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Sree Visakhamthis page | Farms in many states, including Assam and the north-east, that want an old, widely grown, yellow-fleshed cassava | 10 months (CTCRI bulletin and web page) | 35-38 t/ha (CTCRI bulletin); 35-38 t/ha (CTCRI web page) | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Tapioca (Cassava) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Tapioca (Cassava) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Tapioca (Cassava) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Tapioca (Cassava) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Tapioca (Cassava) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Tapioca (Cassava) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sree Visakham?
A hybrid cassava variety released in 1977 by ICAR-CTCRI. It takes 10 months, gives 35-38 t/ha with about 26% starch, has light yellow flesh, and is recommended for many states including Assam and the north-east.
Is Sree Visakham the same as Sree Rekha?
No. Sree Rekha (2000) is a top-cross hybrid in which Sree Visakham is a parent. Rekha has more starch (28-30% against 26%) and the same 35-40 t/ha. Check the release year on the label.
How much carotene does Sree Visakham have?
CTCRI's older web page gives 466 IU per 100 g of tuber, with light yellow flesh. The bulletin gives no carotene figure. It is far below the sweet potatoes CTCRI sells as carotene-rich, so do not sell it as a nutrition product.
Can I grow Sree Visakham in Assam?
CTCRI's bulletin lists Assam and the north-eastern region among its recommended states, one of only two varieties with that listing. We found no yield trial figure for Assam. Try a small plot and ask the local KVK.
Sourced from: Cassava (variety descriptions, Table 3; spacing, Table 7; planting stakes and seed standards) — ICAR-CTCRI, Cassava varieties developed by CTCRI — ICAR-CTCRI variety page, archived. editorial policy.