Eight cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz.) cultivars of which four are indigenous to the Amazon region and an interspecific hybrid were assessed for their carotenoid content.. They were propagated and maintained in the living Manihot collection at the University of Brasilia. The cultivar Amarelinha do Amapa which was collected from the state of Amapa, showed a very high content of b-carotene: 27 mg per 100 mg, i.e., more than 50-fold higher compared to other cassava cultivars. This cultivar which also has excellent palatability could be a very important source of b-carotene for cassava breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]