Conservation, diversity, and evaluation of Cassava landraces for northern Mato Grosso

Cassava is present in several countries, including Brazil. It is an important crop for family farming and contributes to the supply of food and income for families. The objective of this study was to evaluate sweet cassava varieties grown in the state of Mato Grosso that have higher yield, resistance to deterioration and the quality of their cooked roots. The study was conducted in the municipality of Claudia, Mato Grosso, using 16 varieties of sweet cassava. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences for most trait, with the exception of the average root length and the average root diameter. The results indicate that five varieties exhibited superior performance in terms of mass of fresh aerial part, tuberous root production, fresh commercial root mass and harvest index. As for deterioration, Amarela (04NM) stood out for having no deteriorated roots after four days of storage, in addition to a shorter cooking time (10 min) and its standard cooked mass was classified as "smooth, slightly plastic and sticky". Farmers are advised to gradually introduce varieties that have performed well in their cropping systems. The introduction of new varieties will promote crop diversification and contribute to the conservation of these varieties.