Enriching underutilised tuber crops:Emerging opportunities

Abstract

India is one of the world's richest centres of diversity for tropical tuber crops, including several minor crop species with significant potential for food, nutrition and industrial applications. Despite this potential, most of these crops remain underutilised and are cultivated only on a limited scale. This article highlights crop improvement efforts including germplasm enrichment, identification of
promising genetic stocks and varietal development in Queensland arrowroot, West indian arrowroot, Chinese potato, Yam bean and East indian arrowroot. It also discusses the major production and breeding constraints together with emerging opportunities for their commercial utilization.