Manihot esculenta', also called Cassava, manioc, yuca, balinghoy, mogo, mandioca, kamoteng kahoy, tapioca (predominantly in India)

and manioc root, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. It differs from the similarly spelled yucca, an unrelated fruit-bearing shrub in the Asparagaceae family. Cassava, when dried to a powdery (or pearly) extract, is called tapioca; its fermented, flaky version is named garri. Cassava is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics, after rice and maize.[1][2] Cassava is a major staple food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people.[3] It is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, capable of growing on marginal soils. Nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava.[4] Cassava root is a good source of carbohydrates, but a poor source of protein. A diet consisting predominantly of cassava root can cause protein-energy malnutrition.[5] Cassava is classified as sweet or bitter. Like other roots and tubers, cassava contains antinutritional factors and toxins.[6] It must be properly prepared before consumption. Improper preparation of cassava can leave enough residual cyanide to cause acute cyanide intoxication and goiters, and may even cause ataxia or partial paralysis.[7] Nevertheless, farmers often prefer the bitter varieties because they deter pests, animals, and thieves.[8] The more-toxic varieties of cassava are a fall-back resource (a "food security crop") in times of famine in some places.[9]