Potato and Tuber Crops

Xanthosoma and Amorphophallus: Introduction

Xanthosoma and Amorphophallus

Xanthosoma
Botanical Name	Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott
Chromosome Number	2n = 26
Family	Araceae

The genus Xanthosoma belongs to tribe Colocasia. Tannia is a tall herbaceous plant growing to 1.5 to 2.7 m and has about 6 large outspreading hastate leaves in contrast to peltate leaves in taro. In tannia, mother corm is more or less cylindrical and surrounded by cormels which develop from lateral buds adjacent to leaf scars on the corm. Similar to taro, mother corms and cormels are used for planting. Since plants grow vigorously, tannia is widely spaced at 1 x I m.

Amorphophallus (Elephant foot yam)
Botanical Name	Amorphophallus paeoniifolius
Chromosome Number	2n = 28
Family	Araceae

Elephant foot yam is a remunerative and profitable stem tuber crop. Tubers are mainly used as vegetable after thorough cooking. Chips are made of starch-rich tubers. Tender stem and leaves are also used for vegetable purpose. Tubers contain 18.0% starch, 1-5% protein and upto 2% fat. Leaves contain 2-3% protein, 3% carbohydrates and 4-7% crude fibre. Tubers and leaves are quite acrid due to high content of oxalates. Acridity is usually removed by boiling fairly for a long time. Cultivation of elephant foot yam is limited to India, Philippines, Sri Lanka and South East Asia.Unlike other tubers, Amorphophallus roots have many medicinal uses and are widely prescribed by Ayurvedic physicians. Amorphophallus corm is a good source of phyto-aestrogens and is effective alternative to conventional hormone replacement therapy for symptoms associated with menopause and chronic degenerative diseases in women. The crop is gaining popularity due to its shade tolerance, easiness in cultivation, high productivity, less incidence of pests and diseases, steady demand and reasonably good price.