ABSTRACT

 This study was carried out to evaluate the physiological post-harvest deterioration, nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions and diseases of 25 cassava cultivars from the farm at the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike. Proximate analysis revealed variation in the dry matter content ofthe cassava flour from 86.70 - 94.10 % in the first year of harvest and 85.60 - 93.50 % (2nd year). The moisture content varied from 5.90 -13.40 % in the first year and 6.50-14.20 % in the second year. The ash content recorded the highest in variety NR 1S1205 in the first year of harvest and varieties NR 1S1205 and TMS 070352 recorded the highest on the second year. Fat ranged from 0.20 -0.95 %,1.23 — 5.60 % protein, 0.70 — 5.30 /o fibre and 78.30 - 87.60 % carbohydrate in the first year of harvest while fat was in the range of 0.60 - 2.40, protein 1.75 - 4.55 %, fibre 0.80 - 2.90 %, carbohydrate 77.40 -86.65 %. In the 2nd year, the mineral content was observed to significantly increase (p<0.05) across different minerals analyzed. The calcium ranged from 60.80 — 289.56 mg/lOOg, magnesium j8.j8 — 122.41 mg/lOOg, phosphorus 9.22 - 164.28 mg/lOOg, sodium 46.90 -108.42 mg/lOOg, potassium 71.28 -502.17 mg/lOOg while the second year ranged from calcium 76.38-491.09 mg/lOOg, magnesium 50.15 -104.73 mg/lOOg, phosphorus 8.88 -37.77 mg/lOOg, sodium 69.58 - 126 mg/lOOg and potassium 320.23 -501.65 mg/lOOg. The vitamin content recorded the highest result in vitamin Bl in AR31-1, vitamin B2 in NR 110348, vitamin B3 in NR ISI 205, carotenoid in NR 090127 in the first year of harvest while in the second year of harvest NR ISI 205, NR 090127 and NR 110433 recorded the highest in vitamin Bl, NR ISI 0046, CR52A-4 and NR 110433 in vitamin B2, TMS 050540 in vitamin B3, ISI 205 in carotenoid. In the first year of harvest, the dry weight, fresh weight and starch contents of the fresh cassava roots ranged from 19 - 47.50 %, 52.50 -81 % and 20 - 32.40 % respectively while dry weight, fresh weight and starch contents ranged from 18.40 - 41.20 %, 58.80 - 81.60 %, 10.44 - 29.79 % respectively. The hydrogen cyanide content ofthe first year and second year of harvest ranged from 3.64 -25.03 % and 8.50 - 56.25 %. In the first year of planting, the diseased assay ofthe cassava plants showed a non-significant difference in all the named diseases analysed. The Physiological Post-Harvest Deterioration (PPD) day 5, 10 and 15 ofthe first year after harvest ranged from 0 - 34.00, 3.29 - 31.29 and 3.86 — 38.86 respectively while in the second year, PPD at day 5, 10 and 15 ranged from 0 — 40.29, 2.43- 46 and 3.71 — 23.43 respectively. Postharvest Physiological had a direct correlation with moisture, potassium, vitamin Bl, vitamin B2, starch, HCN, moisture for fresh roots, CBBi, CADs, CMDi and CADi but had an inverse conelation with CGMi, CGMs and dry matter, the correlations were significant. Dry matter, moistuie, fibre, phosphorus, vitamin Bl, carotenoid, calcium, fat, vitamin B3, protein, dry matter for fresh, moisture for fresh roots, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and vitamin B2 had significant influence on the post-harvest physiological deterioration of cassava roots. The cultivars analysed although not released for consumption have shown to contain appreciable quantities of nutritional content, therefore they are good for consumption.