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Topic Name: Yam bean a nearly forgotten crop
Category: Agricultural
Research persons: Séraphin Zanklan
Location: 677 South Segoe Rd , Madison, WI 53711, United States
Details
The Yam bean originated where the Andes meet the Amazon and is locally grown
in South and Central America, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific. It is
produced in three species which are called the Amazonian, Mexican and Andean.
Interbreeding of the bean has resulted in fertile and stable hybrids. This gives
it potential to be reclassified as a single species, provide
high quality food production
and offer a sustainable cropping system that has been needed in Africa.
Researchers believe they have discovered a protein-rich starch staple in the
yam bean in Peru. They were previously considered a root vegetable due to the
high water content; however this ‘Chuin’ type has lower water content. Families
living in the area have been producing it as flour. The crop has extremely high
seed production, but its seeds contain high concentrations of rotenone. This
toxic compound has been used for reducing fish populations and parasitic mites
on poultry. Seeds are never consumed since they are mildly toxic to humans and
other mammals. If the rotenone was removed from the seeds, they could provide a
strong protein source as well as seed oil profitable in the food industry.
Séraphin Zanklan, a scientist at Centre Songhai in Porto-Novo (Benin), has
investigated the yam bean for its potential to grow and produce food under West
African conditions.
Centre Songhai in Porto-NovoThe study was funded by a scholarship from the
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Thirty-four yam genotypes were grown with and without flower removal at one
droughty location and one irrigated location. Of the 33 traits that were
measured, nearly all showed large genetic variation. This and the easy spreading
of its seeds, make the crops very desirable to breeders. Results from the study
will be published in the July-August 2007 issue of Crop Science.
The study identified genotypes with high storage root production. Flower
removal increased storage root production by 50 to 100%. Several yam bean
genotypes showed very low reduction in storage root and seed production under
drought stressed conditions. As expected, the storage roots did show high
protein and starch contents. They have as much as three to five times more
protein than potatoes or yams. Most importantly, it was found that storage roots
can be processed into ‘yam bean gari.’ This is similar to the current staple of
West Africa, ‘cassava gari,’ a granular flour.
The bean could make a significant contribution to the improvement of food
support, especially where resources are poor. The research is ongoing at the
International Potato Center, which has a mandate for the bean in the frame
of Andean Root and Tuber Crops. Further evaluation is needed on the range of yam
bean variations under different conditions. More information on where they can
be grown, their agronomic potential and genetic diversity is important to
determine the types of breeding programs necessary for yam beans.
Researcher & Contact Details:
Séraphin Zanklan
Contact: Sara Uttech
Email: suttech@agronomy.org
Phone: 608-268-4948
Web: American
Society of Agronomy
Related Important Links:
http://crop.scijournals.org/
http://www.asa-cssa-sssa.org
http://www.agronomy.org,
http://www.crops.org,
http://www.soils.org.
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