Context: On January 8, 2024, the ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) issued a cautionary advisory regarding the feeding of animals with cassava, commonly known as tapioca.

About Tapioca Plant:

• Tapioca is a significant horticulture crop extensively cultivated on nearly 3 lakh hectares in Tamil Nadu, yielding an annual production of 60 lakh tonnes.
• It holds global importance and is cultivated across tropical regions worldwide for its tuberous roots.
• These roots serve as the SOURCE for various products, including cassava flour, bread, tapioca pearls, laundry starch, and an alcoholic beverage.

Climatic Requirements:

• Tapioca flourishes in well-drained soil, preferably red lateritic loamy soil, and thrives in a tropical, warm, and humid climate.
•  It requires well-distributed rainfall exceeding 100 cm annually and can be cultivated up to an elevation of 1000 m.

Cyanogenic Glucosides (CNGs):

• All parts of the cassava or tapioca plant, including leaves, stem, tuber, and rind, contain cyanogenic glucosides (CNGs) like linamarin and lotaustralin.
• These compounds can be hydrolyzed by the endogenous enzyme linamarase to acetone cyanohydrin, which may spontaneously release free hydrogen cyanide.
•  Both acetone cyanohydrin and free cyanide are toxic.
• Tapioca leaves contain approximately 10 times higher CNGs than the roots, and the cyanogenic glucoside content in the rind is 10-30 times higher than in the edible parts.

Risk of Cyanide Poisoning:

Feeding crushed peels or leaves immediately after crushing, or without proper drying, poses a high risk of cyanide poisoning in animals. Proper processing and precautions are essential to mitigate the toxic effects of cyanogenic glucosides in tapioca plants.