Yam: An Important Regional Crop in West Africa

摘要

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a tuber crop widely cultivated in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America. This traditional staple crop is very important for regional food security and income generation especially in West Africa. More than 54 million tons (>95% of global production) of yam are produced in West African countries. Of the Dioscorea species, white Guinea yam (D. rotundata) are extensively grown for human consumption in West Africa, a region where yam is a crop of great economic and cultural importance for the people. However, yam breeding is constrained by the crop's inherent attributes, including a long growth cycle and low multiplication ratio, in addition to a poor understanding of genetic diversity and the underdevelopment of evaluation techniques for important traits.