Breeding cassava to meet consumer preferences for product quality

Publication date: 31/08/2017
Extent: 14 pages

Contributions by: Adebayo Abass, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Tanzania; Wasiu Awoyale, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Liberia and Kwara State University Malete, Nigeria; and Lateef Sanni and Taofik Shittu, Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria

Chapter synopsis: New, high-yielding varieties have transformed cassava from a low-yielding, famine-reserve crop to a high-yielding cash crop for both rural and urban consumers in Africa. The opportunity provided by this high yield in terms of lower production cost per hectare has made cassava a potential crop for large-scale or commercial-scale production. This chapter looks at the range of uses of cassava and what this means for target properties in breeding new varieties. It reviews the range of quality preferences amongst farmers, and a range of nutritional, sensory, processing and product properties that could be used in setting future breeding priorities for cassava.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2016.0014.20