Between 1982 and 1985, Nigerian cassava fields were periodically sampled through three crop growing seasons to analyze the within and between‐plant distribution of CM as affected by weather (dry and rainy season) using the mean crowding statistics and Taylor's power law. Enumerative and binomial sampling plans were developed which take into consideration the seasonal changes in the spatial distribution patterns of CM. The costs of the two procedures were compared to select the most cost‐efficient sampling plan.