Abstract
A study was conducted in five yam-growing communities in the Forest Transition Agroecological Zone of Ghana to identify cultivated yam varieties, their distribution and intensity of cultivation and to document the rate and causes of landrace germplasm loss. Generally, the cultivated varieties ranged from 9 to 16 with a mean of 12. The most diversity was found in Sankore (Asunafo South District), followed by Sampa in the Jaman North District, Asantekwa in the Kintampo District, Ejura in the Ejura-Sekyedumase and Mim in the Atebubu/Amantin Districts with 16, 15, 12, 11 and 9 cultivated varieties respectively. Dioscorea rotundata is most widely cultivated species of yam followed by Dioscorea alata, Dioscorea cayenensis, Dioscorea praehensilis and Dioscorea bulbifera respectively. Factors such as good culinary characteristics, high yield, seed generation capacity, good storage characteristics and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses were important criteria for selection of variety. The market and utilization were major determinants of continual cultivation of a variety or its neglect. Key words: Agro-morphological, cultural, environmental, Ghana, technological.
Highlights
Yam (Dioscorea spp. of family Dioscoreaceae) is multispecies, polyploid in nature and vegetatively propagated crop
In the Mim community in Atebubu-Amantin District, D. alata cv Matches and D. rotundata cv Muchumudu are widely cultivated by many households and in large acreages
D. rotundata is most widely cultivated species of yam followed by D. alata, D. cayenensis and
Summary
Yam (Dioscorea spp. of family Dioscoreaceae) is multispecies, polyploid in nature and vegetatively propagated crop. It is cultivated for its starchy tubers (both cultivated and wild) (Obidiegwu et al, 2009). Yam is a staple food crop of over 300 million people in tropics and subtropics (Mignouna et al, 2003). Cote d’Ivoire (13%) in terms of production (FAO, 2009).
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