Potato and Tuber Crops

Dioscorea Cultivation

Dioscorea
Botanical Name	Dioscorea alata (Greater Yam)
	Dioscorea esculenta (Lesser Yam)
	Dioscorea rotundata (White/African Yam)
Family	Araceae

• Plants belonging to genus Dioscorea of family Discoreaceae under Monocotyledons are commonly known as yams.
• Dioscorea alata (greater yam) and D. esculenta (lesser yam) are main yams of India.
• Another species, D. routundata (white yam or African yam), which is under extensive cultivation in Western Africa, recently introduced to India is becoming popular.
• All species are typical tropical crops grown for carbohydrate rich underground tubers.
• They form staple food in many parts of Western Africa. In D. alata, tubers are peeled, cooked and sued as vegetable. D. esculenta is consumed after boiling and peeling.
• Subterranean tuber of a true yam (Dioscorea sp.), the third most important tropical root crop after cassava and sweet potatoes.
• The venation and shiny, heart-shaped leaves of true yams are unmistakable compared to those of sweet potatoes and other root crops.