Dioscorea balakrishnanii

Dioscorea balakrishnanii Latest News

Researchers from Kerala have identified an edible tuber and named it as Dioscorea balakrishnanii.

About Dioscorea balakrishnanii

• It is an edible tuber found in the Western Ghats region of Wayanad district of Kerala.
• It is a new species of the genus Dioscorea.
• This yam species is locally known as ‘chola kizhangu’ among the Kattunayikar tribes of Wayanad. The tubers are edible when cooked and are said to have an excellent flavour
• Habitat: It is found only in the sholas of evergreen forests.
• The species holds potential as a tuber variety for food security and cultivation as a food crop with low glycemic index.
• Since there are male and female varieties, Dioscorea balakrishnanii was continuously observed for the last ten years and the differences in the flowers have been recorded.
• The Wayanad region of the Western Ghats is rich in unique wild tubers, relatives of the commonly cultivated tubers known as kachil or kavat (purple yam).
• These belong to the plant family Dioscoreaceae and 23 different forms of more than 14 species.
• Significance: The discovery of this new tuber is of significance for the conservation of unique ecosystems and unique wild relatives as well as food security and the medicinal sector.

Source: TH

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