Potato and Tuber Crops

Yam Bean

Yam Bean
Botanical Name	Pachyrrhizus erosus L
Family	Fabaceae

• Yam bean is grown in parts of West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Asia for its tender tubers which are used as vegetable.
• Young tubers are crisp, succulent and sweet and are preferred for salad purpose.
• In Philippines, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar tubers are processed, canned and Yam bean requires hot humid climate.
• It also needs long days for vegetative growth and short days for better tuberisation.
• Well distributed rain during growth period is required for optimum tuber yield.
• Rajendra Mishrikand is an improved variety yielding 36-40 t/ ha and is being propagated through seeds. Seeds @3-5 per hill are sown at a spacing of 0.75 -1.0 m during June-July. It flowers in 75 days after sowing.
• It is desirable to remove flowers for encouraging tuber yield. Provide trellis or props for plants to trail. It will be ready for harvest in 150 days. If harvesting is delayed, it results in cracking of tubers. Harvested tubers can be stored for 2-3 days without any deterioration.
• In addition, minor tuber crops like Giant taro (Alocasia indica Roxb.) Queensland arrowroot (Canna inçlica L.), West Indian Arrowroot (Maranta arundinaceae L.) are also grown on a limited scale in different parts.