Article Sidebar
Published:
Nov 21, 2014Keywords:
Article Details
NAJ supports free online communication and exchange of knowledge as the most effective way of ensuring that the fruits of research and development practice are made widely available. It is therefore committed to open access, which, for authors, enables the widest possible dissemination of their findings and, for readers, increases their ability to discover pertinent information. The Journal adopts and uses the CC: BY license and is open access. This license lets others distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the Journal’s published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Copyright for articles published in this Journal is retained by the Journal.
Main Article Content
Strategies to overcome post-harvest physiological deterioration in cassava (Manihot esculenta) root: a review
Abstract
Cassava is of global importance both as a food and energy source. Owing to the diversity of its utilization, adaptation and low input requirements, cassava not only provides a source of revenue for rural farmers, it also serve as an important source of raw material for many industries. Cassava roots are notorious for their short shelf life due to Post-harvest physiological deterioration (PPD) leading to significant economic losses. PPD - a rapid oxidative reaction that initiates in cassava roots within 24 to 48 hours after harvest, discolouring them, thereby renders them unmarketable and unpalatable. Secondary post-harvest deterioration often appears when the edible cassava roots suffer moderate to severe damage mediated by a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms. Documented strategies to delay PPD in cassava; include the use of improved storage techniques; conventional breeding; and genetic engineering to produce target changes in metabolism were extensively reviewed. The challenges posed by each strategy were highlighted.
Keywords: Cassava roots, post-harvest physiological deterioration, quality and tolerance
