Innovations in enhancing adaptability and water productivity in tropical tuber crops

Abstract

The tropical roots and tuber crops (R & T) consists of cassava, sweet potato, yams, elephant foot yam, taro, tannia and couple of minor tuber crops. Tropical tuber crops are the third most important food crops after cereals (rice, wheat etc) and pulses (pigeon pea, cow pea, green gram, black gram, chick pea, lentil etc.). These crops play a crucial role in providing food and nutritional security of the rural masses in Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia. In general tuber crops are grown in vulnerable agro climatic conditions and accounts to provide food for more than 500 million people across the globe. Cassava and sweet potato rank among the top 10 food crops produced in developing countries and contribute to about 6% of world's dietary calories. In India, tropical tubers are grown mostly in the states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and North East covering 4.5% of the total area under vegetables with 5.7% of the total vegetable production. Low income farmers and most undernourished households in India depend on R & T crops. They value these crops for its high calorie value and stable yields under conditions in which other crops may fail. Genetic diversity of major tropical tuber crops also provides options for its diverse usage in "multicuisine", "nutrition", "feed", health care" and renewable resources of processing firms.