ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), a popular industrial root crop, is one of the main sources of calories for people in many tropical regions of the world. It is mostly cultivated in the tropics for its starchy roots. It is the fourth most important source of calories in human diet in tropical regions of the world (1). In fact, it is native to South America, and was subsequently popularized in other tropical parts of the world. The crop is known by many different popular names-cassava, mandioc, manioc, manihot, yuka, kahoy, etc.—in different countries (2). It is one of the most efficient crops in terms of carbohydrate production (3). The world annual production of cassava roots in 1993 was estimated at 153 million metric tons, about 46% of which was produced in Africa, 33% in Asia, and 21% in Latin America (4). The major producing countries are Nigeria, Brazil, Zaire, Thailand, and Indonesia, which together produce more than two thirds of the world's total production (Table 1). Most of this crop is used as food for humans, with lesser amounts being used for animal feed and in the industrial production of alcohol.
