Compressive Behaviour of Cassava (Manihot Esculentar) Tuber under Static Quasi Compression Loading, as Influenced by Age and Variety

The influence of maturity age of cassava tubers on the mechanical compressive properties of TME 419, TMS 30001 and Peter cassava varieties was investigated in this research. The cassava tubers were harvested at two maturity stages (10 MAP and 15 MAP) from the research farm of the National Center for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria. The compressive properties (failure force, compressive crushing force, failure energy and crushing energy) were determined using Universal Testing Machine (Testometric model). From the results, the maturity age and cassava variety had significant (P<0.05) effect on the compressive properties of the cassava tubers. The mechanical compressive crushing force and energy required to break the tubers of the three cassava varieties increases with an increase in maturation of the tubers. Likewise, the samples failure force and failure energy increased across the three cassava cultivars as maturity progresses from 10 MAP to 15 MAP.  Thus, these compressive parameters must be given serious attention in the design and development of cassava harvesting and peeling machines.