Improvement, conservation and diversity of the taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott.) in Cuba

Main Article Content

Yadelys Figueroa-Aguila
Marilys D. Milián-Jiménez
Yuniel Rodríguez-García

Abstract

Taro (C. esculenta) is a fundamental part of the diet of children and the elderly because of its nutritional properties and riches. The objective of this work is to increase the knowledge regarding the improvement and genetic diversity of the taro existing in Cuba. Besides, in Cuba there are currently few clones of taro in the different productive scenarios, due to the characteristics of the multiplication pathways of this species mainly, that prevent the existence of wide sources of variability, both natural and induced. On the one hand, spontaneous mutations are rare and on the other hand, the emission of inflorescences is scarce and not very productive, with pollinating agents that are not efficient and dependent on environmental conditions. The cultivation of taro is widely used in the feeding of different animal species worldwide, including Cuba, which is an important route in the substitution of imports and contributes to food sustainability at the country level.

Article Details

How to Cite
Figueroa-Aguila, Y., Milián-Jiménez, M. D., & Rodríguez-García, Y. (2019). Improvement, conservation and diversity of the taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott.) in Cuba. Cultivos Tropicales, 40(2), e09. Retrieved from https://ediciones.inca.edu.cu/index.php/ediciones/article/view/1514
Section
Review

Most read articles by the same author(s)