17 Facts About Cassava

Cassava is predominantly consumed in boiled form, but substantial quantities are used to extract cassava starch, called tapioca, which is used for food, animal feed, and industrial purposes.

Cassava is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics, after rice and maize.

Cassava is a major staple food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people.

Cassava root is long and tapered, with a firm, homogeneous flesh encased in a detachable rind, about.

Cassava was a staple food of pre-Columbian peoples in the Americas and is often portrayed in indigenous art.

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Cassava was introduced to Africa by Portuguese traders from Brazil in the 16th century.

Cassava is sometimes described as the "bread of the tropics" but should not be confused with the tropical and equatorial bread tree, the breadfruit or the African breadfruit .

Cassava roots become tough with age and restrict the movement of the juveniles and the egg release.

Cassava is harvested by hand by raising the lower part of the stem, pulling the roots out of the ground, and removing them from the base of the plant.

Cassava undergoes post-harvest physiological deterioration once the tubers are separated from the main plant.

Cassava is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, can be successfully grown on marginal soils, and gives reasonable yields where many other crops do not grow well.

Cassava varieties are often categorized as either bitter or sweet, signifying the presence or absence of toxic levels of cyanogenic glucosides, respectively.

Cassava-based dishes are widely consumed wherever the plant is cultivated; some have regional, national, or ethnic importance.

Cassava must be cooked properly to detoxify it before it is eaten.

Project called "BioCassava Plus" uses bioengineering to grow cassava with lower cyanogenic glycosides combined with fortification of vitamin A, iron and protein to improve the nutrition of people in sub-Saharan Africa.

Cassava plays a particularly important role in agriculture in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, because it does well on poor soils and with low rainfall, and because it is a perennial that can be harvested as required.

Cassava is widely cultivated and eaten as a staple food in Andhra Pradesh and in Kerala.