Influência da época de colheita e do manejo no perfil tecnológico e nutricional de mandioca para alimentação humana e animal

Abstract

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a staple food, considered an important energy source in the diet of the world population, in addition to guaranteeing food security and food sovereignty in developing countries. Therefore, the objectives of this work were to evaluate the nutritional quality of cassava silage for animal feed, the influence of the harvest season, management practices, soil type and biofortified cultivars on the physicochemical properties and sensory quality of cassava roots for human food. Experiments were carried out with different cassava cultivars in four locations in Rio Grande do Sul, with soils characterized as highlands and lowlands. The management practices employed corresponded to the technological levels of low, medium and high management. The roots were harvested in the 6th, 7th and 8th month after planting. The highest levels of protein were found in the leaves of the cassava plant. Cassava silages prepared with a higher proportion of shoots (80/20) had the highest protein content. Technological levels did not influence root productivity (t ha-1). Productivity increased in an increasing way with the permanence of the plants in the crop, however, with the permanence of the plants it increased the difficulty of stripping. The type of soil and the technological management levels influenced the nutritional composition of the roots. In highlands the cooking time of the roots was shorter, and the greater the water absorption, the shorter the cooking time. Technological levels did not influence the cooking time. The harvest time did not influence the physicochemical characteristics of the roots, and an average of 65% moisture was found in the roots, low protein levels, with starch being the major component. The sensory acceptance of the roots showed greater acceptability in the sixth and seventh months after planting, with the high technological level showing the best acceptance rates. The highest levels of carotenoids were found in the cassava roots of yellow pulp cultivars, and the sensory acceptance by school children for color and overall appearance was around 80%. Therefore, the results demonstrate that the technological and nutritional profile of cassava roots varies between cultivars and due to the edaphoclimatic conditions in which they are produced.