Cassava Trees

Production Range

• Cassava grows in humid tropical regions, such as Africa, Asia, Latin America and Florida. According to Purdue University, Brazil produces the largest cassava crop, while Thailand is one of the largest exporters. Cassava is tolerant to drought and poor soil and is a famine reserve crop for areas limited in water.

Growing Cassava

• The root crop of cassava requires six to eight months of tropical temperatures for proper development. Plants grow in full sun and are productive in different soil pH levels, ranging from 4.0 to 8.0. Stresses such as flooding, drought or cool temperatures prolong the development of the crop up to 18 months or more. Stem cuttings, approximately 10 inches long, are planted 2 to 4 inches deep. Months later, fleshy roots are ready for harvest.

Nutrition

• Cassava roots provide the greatest starch content among all crops. This tuber also provides calcium and iron and is a rich source of vitamin C, supplying 35 percent of the daily value in a 1/2 cup serving. However, cassava contains poisonous cyanogenic glycosides in the flesh of raw tubers. Processing and cooking reduces the toxic levels of these components. In times of famine, shortcuts in processing may not eliminate all poisons in the plant, thus creating a dangerous food for the population.

Research

• Research on cassava is working toward improving the nutritional value of the crop. At Ohio State University, Dr. Richard Sayre and coworkers bioengineered cassava plants that contain 99 percent less toxic cyanogenic components in the roots than regular cassava. In another study from Ohio State University, scientist Uzoma Ihemere and coauthors used transgenic means to improve starch content in cassava.