Integrated Characterization of Cuban Germplasm of Cocoyam (xanthosoma Sagittifolium (L.) Schott) - Integrated Characterization of Cuban Germplasm of Cocoyam (xanthosoma Sagittifolium (L.) Schott) - Open Access Pub

The present study aims at integrating the characterization studies conducted on the Cuban germplasm collection of Xanthosoma sagittifolium (Araceae) preserved in the Research Institute of Tropical Roots and Tubers Crops (INIVIT). Differentiation of accessions was done by combining qualitative and quantitative descriptors to clarify the relationships between six well-defined groups. The results may be used to establish a core collection for improved management of Xanthosoma spp. germplasm. DOI10.14302/issn.2641-9467.jgrc-18-2041 Cocoyam (Xanthosomasagittifolium(L.) Schott, Araceae) is cultivated throughout the tropical areas and it plays a major role for food security in developing countries 1. It is an important food for 400 million people and has overtaken taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott.) as the main edible aroid in many tropical areas 2, 3 especially in Africa. This South American species was probably domesticated on the northern side of the Amazon basin. It was introduced by Portuguese slavers to Sao Tomé and Principe islands and from there to Central and West Africa. They were looking for high yielding crops that could feed the slaves before their transport to the West Indies. Its introduction in Asia and Oceania occurred in the 19th century and it was the result of missionaries’ intervention 4. There are about 40 species of the Xanthosomagenus. The taxonomic position of the cultivated Xanthosomaspp. is unclear and there is a tendency to call all cultivated Xanthosomaspp., X. sagittifolium5, 6. The genus includes three important food species: X. sagittifolium, X. atrovirens and X. violaceum. Another species, X. brasiliense is grown for its edible leaves. Cultivars of X. saggitifolium are differentiated mainly by leaf pigmentation, plant size, cormel number and shape, cormel buds shape and pigmentation, spatial arrangement of cormels and cormel flesh pigmentation. Young leaves of some cultivars can be used as vegetable. The total number of collected accessions of Xanthosomaspp.is about 1000 1. Collections were made during the 1980s in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana and Togo. Over 300 accessions were evaluated for yield and incidence of Pythium infection 7, 2. In Ghana, the collection of 70 X. sagittifolium accessions was thought to present sufficient diversity to interest plant breeders but ploidy levels were not determined 8. Cocoyam improvement has been done in Cameroon with some crosses producing seeds but not others, perhaps due to ploidy differences 9, 7, 2. DNA analysis of cocoyam collection in Florida showed very little