Bluish fluorescent and phenolic components were produced in cassava roots in response to cutinjury, and in relation to physiological deterioration and microbial deterioration. The former proved to consist of five coumarin components, the main three of whichwere scopoletin, scopolin and esculin, and the other two were scopoletin-and esculetin-containing conjugates. A main component of the latter was (+)-catechin. Some enzymes pertaining to the production of the secondary metabolites such as acid invertase, phenylalanine ammonialyase and peroxidase were formed in cut-injured tissue and in non-infected tissue adjacent to the soft-rotten part. Cassava roots easily deteriorate during storage soon after harvest, and the deteriorative nature is classified into physiological (or primary) deterioration and microbial (or secondary) deterioration.1~4) The former involves brownish discoloration (so called vascular streaking) in the intervening part between the outermost and inner parts of parenchymatous tissue, and the latter is characterized by light brownish discoloration of the soft-rotten part and by blue-black pigmentation of the xylem vessels or extensive discoloration, light greyblack, of the non-rotten tissue adjacent to the rotten part. Such deterioration in cassava after harvest lowers the food quality and is a serious problem for a number of the people in tropical regions for whomcassava roots are the main staple. Therefore, the Tropical Products Institute

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