Cassava Problem Space

Posted by sdonovan@pitt.edu on Aug 09 2008 | Blogging



Background


Data


Tools


Bibliography


Curricular Resources

Starting Points

Annotated Cassava Resources

 

Archaeology

1,400-year-old cassava crop solves riddle of the Maya

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/aug/23/1?commentpage=1

 

Bio-Medicine

Super-sized cassava plants may help fight hunger in Africa

Research team receives $7.5 million to study cassava

Researchers get to the root of cassava’s cyanide-producing abilities

Monsanto to share technologies with Danforth Center to support global cassava research

Chemistry

Linamarin  The toxic compound of Cassava

http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-79301996000100002

 

Identification of essential active-site residues in the cyanogenic b-glucosidase (linamarase) from cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) by site-directed mutagenesis

http://www.biochemj.org/bj/353/0199/bj3530199.htm

 

The crystal structure of a cyanogenic beta-glucosidase from white clover, a family 1 glycosyl hydrolase. Structure 3: 951-960 http://www.pdb.org/pdb/explore.do?structureId=1CBG

 

Epidemiology

An Epidemiological Model Incorporating Vector Population Dynamics Applied to African Cassava Mosaic Virus Disease

J. Holt, M. J. Jeger, J. M. Thresh and G. W. Otim-Nape

The Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Jun., 1997), pp. 793-

http://www.jstor.org/pss/2404924

 

Genetics

Eight hundred million people around the world rely on the Cassava plant for the bulk of their daily calories. Watch this videocast to learn how scientists have genetically altered the plant to provide a nearly complete set of necessary nutrients. http://www.mos.org/educators/student_resources/videocasts&d=2738

Wild species of Manihot are progenitors of cassava. They constitute valuable genetic reservoirs presenting genes that show new characters. Screening of these species showed some of them to have a notably high percentage of protein combined with a low percentage of hydrocyanic acid.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-47572000000100035

A team of scientists from RIKEN and a research institute in Colombia have assembled a large library of genetic data on the cassava plant to be a resource in understanding the functions of each gene of the plant and to aid in improving it through genetic modification

http://www.riken.jp/engn/r-world/info/release/press/2007/071206/index.html

 

Plant Genebanks: Food Security

Geoffrey C. Hawtin and Jeremy Cherfas

http://www.actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/hawtin_cherfas.html

 

Gene Conserve: An electronic journal devoted to conservation of
crop genetic resources with emphasis on cassava

http://www.geneconserve.pro.br/gene_conserve_home.htm

Microbiology

The contribution of moulds and yeasts to the fermentation of ‘agbelima’ cassava dough

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/gmb/v23n1/2332.pdf

 

Phylogeography

Origin of Cassava

http://www.pnas.org/content/96/10/5586.full.pdf+html

 

 

Physics

Absorptivity is a property which governs the quantity of solar radiation absorbed by materials undergoing sun drying. A laboratory spectrophotometer was used to measure the spectral absorptivity of peeled cassava root

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119117331/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

 

 

Fluorescence, infrared, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques have been applied to monitor the effect of processing mode on the residual cyanogens in cassava roots.

http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jafcau/2007/55/i25/abs/jf072046i.html

 

 

A new but highly promising mechanical cassava peeling concept was investigated. The concept is based on the principle of peel-flesh separation through compression and peel removal with knives. The mechanism of this principle was described and mathematically modeled.

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18386313

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Energetics and economics of ethanol production from cassava under Brazilian conditions were analyzed.

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1977iece….1…44Y

 

Student Projects:

Cassava starch as an effective component for Ideal Biodegradable Plastic

http://www.investigatoryprojectexample.com/biochemistry/cassava-starch-as-biodegradable-plastic.html

14 comments for now

14 Responses to “Cassava Problem Space”

  1. # sam donovan

    I have absolutely no experience with Cassava.

    -sam

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:43 am

  2. # Elaine Vanterpool

    I remember eating cassava the summers I spent in Jamaica as a child. I also like tapioca pudding.

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:43 am

  3. # laihing@oakwood.edu

    I only eat it.
    Ken

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:44 am

  4. # Alexandrine

    In Madagascar people eat not only the root. but also the pounded leaves. They cook it with meat or coconut milk. They also make cake with grated one

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:45 am

  5. # Londa Schmidt`

    Here in the US I buy it frozen, cook it and eat it with “mojo”. Mojo is crushed fresh garlic, crushed onion, olive oil, and sea salt. We normally do not call it cassava for us its ‘yuca’!

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:45 am

  6. # Shushannah

    In Bermuda, we eat Cassava at Christmas time. It is cooked as a “pie” but resembles a sweet corn bread. We eat it along side our dinner instead of rolls or bread. It tastes great!

    I didn’t know about the cyanide in the leaves.

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:45 am

  7. # Darayas Patel

    I did not know that Casasava is used in the making of Tapioca. I have eaten Tapioca so I have eated Cassava. Is there a another name for this tube root in other parts of the country other than Cassava?

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:46 am

  8. # jdurant@oakwood.edu

    Actually, I will be preparing cassava root for dinner tonight

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:47 am

  9. # ootieno@oakwood.edu

    I believe Cassava has a great potential for enhanced food security around the world. I have enjoyed some great cassava dishes. The best has been deep fried starchy strips. Onesimus.

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:47 am

  10. # donranatunga@oakwood.edu

    I grew manioc (casava) in my cocionut land when I was 18 years old.

    Rufus

    Removal of cyanogens from cassava roots : studies on domestic sun …File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat
    Levels of cyanogenic glucosides and cyanohydrins in moist cassava and …… CYanogCnCtique du maniac frais,. B. condition qu’une courbe d’italonnage de la …
    library.wur.nl/wda/dissertations/dis1939.pdf – Similar pages

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:47 am

  11. # Juliet Penrod

    Hi Folks,

    In Jamaica two types of cassava are recognised, sweet and bitter. The bitter is considered poisonous because of the cyanogen content. Starch for laundry purposes is isolated from this type of cassava. The other cassava, sweet is cultivated vegetatively using stem cuttings. The tubers are harvested, grated and squeezed and the pulp dried, and baked to form a cake or bread called bammy. This is a delicacy that is soaked in coconut milk or wter or regular milk, and steamed with fish and okra, or fried and eaten with some other protein as a breakfast food.

    The leaves are eaten by a few people.

    Juliet

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:48 am

  12. # Kathleen Dobbins

    I have had no personal experience with cassava. I am interested in the progress being made in increasing its nutritive value.

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:48 am

  13. # sovyan@oakwood.edu

    I prepare the cassava as:
    - the root: steamed
    - the root: fermented after being steamed
    - the leaves: as ingredient for vegetarian as well as non vegetarian dishes

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:50 am

  14. # gphillips@oakwood.edu

    Cassava pone is the best manufactured cassava product. I am salvating thinking about it, the raisins, cocnut, sugar cane baked to makes it unresistable. Ok I will stop thinking about it now.

    12 Aug 2008 at 11:51 am

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