cassava - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about cassava Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,523,491,085 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

cassava

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.07 sec.

cassava

Plant belonging to the spurge family. Native to South America, it is now widely grown throughout the tropics for its starch-containing roots, from which tapioca and bread are made. (Manihot utilissima, family Euphorbiaceae.)

Cassava is grown as a staple crop in rural Africa, Asia, and South America. Altogether, it provides a staple crop for approximately 200 million people. The root cells contain the poison cyanoglucoside (converted to hydrogen cyanide in the body) but the plant's latex (milky fluid) contains enzymes that break down the poison. During the processing of cassava the two must mix; the commonest method is by fermentation, although some poison may remain. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) and Mozambique at least 10,000 women and children suffered from chronic poisoning between 1985 and 1995.

In 1997 a new hybrid virus caused approximately $60 million in damages as it destroyed cassava crops in Uganda.



How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
 Email
Feedback
?Sign in SSL protected
Email:
Password:
Register

? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Before each hut a woman presided over a boiling stew, while little cakes of plantain, and cassava puddings were to be seen on every hand.
Tarzan of the Apes by Burroughs, Edgar Rice View in context
She had eaten the meal that had been brought her by Mohammed Beyd's Negro slave--a meal of cassava cakes and a nondescript stew in which a new-killed monkey, a couple of squirrels and the remains of a zebra, slain the previous day, were impartially and unsavorily combined; but the one-time Baltimore belle had long since submerged in the stern battle for existence, an estheticism which formerly revolted at much slighter provocation.
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Burroughs, Edgar Rice View in context
"Another white man `came in peace' three moons ago," replied Kaviri; "and after we had brought him presents of a goat and cassava and milk, he set upon us with his guns and killed many of my people, and then went on his way, taking all of our goats and many of our young men and women.
The Beasts of Tarzan by Burroughs, Edgar Rice View in context
More results
 
Hutchinson browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Hutchinson Encyclopedia
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.