Staple root and tuber crops (SRTCs), including potatoes, cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, and taros, play vital roles in global nutrition. However, they present significant safety hazards, which poses threats to human health, have garnered widespread public concern, and consequently constrain the further development and utilization of SRTCs. This review systematically examines recent advances in quality and safety control for SRTCs, with a particular focus on the progress and challenges in detection methods and mitigation strategies for the associated hazards. It further proposes the establishment of an integrated farm-to-fork quality control system for SRTCs. This review identifies shared hazard profiles (endogenous toxins, heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, acrylamide, microplastics) across SRTCs and highlights key strategies for mitigation. Significant advancements in rapid detection technologies (sensors, immunoassays, spectral imaging) offer enhanced sensitivity and field applicability compared to traditional methods. Crucially, establishing an integrated farm-to-fork quality control system, incorporating genetic improvement, optimized cultivation/postharvest practices, and innovative processing, is essential for comprehensive hazard reduction. Future research priorities include multiomics approaches, rhizosphere microbiome engineering, and Industry 4.0 integration to further enhance SRTCs safety and utilization. Our work aims to enhance the safety and quality of SRTCs, thereby promoting their broader development and utilization.

Tuber crops cultivated in basalt-derived soils are influenced by naturally high geochemical backgrounds, which may elevate heavy metal(loid) levels and associated health risks. To clarify the geochemical controls governing metal accumulation, this study analyzed rock, soil, and tuber (sweet potato and yam) samples from the Qiongbei volcanic area of Hainan Island, China. Concentrations of eight heavy metal(loid)s (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and 22 nutrient-related indicators (N, P, K, SOC, S, Se, Fe, Mn, and their available fractions) were determined. Soil contamination and potential human health risks were evaluated using the pollution index and the health risk model. The results showed that 11.1–55.6% of soil samples exceeded pollution thresholds for Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn, reflecting typical basaltic high-background characteristics. In contrast, heavy metal(loid) concentrations in tuber crops were relatively low and jointly regulated by parent material composition and soil nutrient status. Non-carcinogenic risks (HI) were below 1, indicating acceptable exposure levels, while carcinogenic risks were mainly associated with Cd, Cr, and Pb, with total carcinogenic risk (TCR) exceeding 1 × 10−4, suggesting potential health concerns. Strong correlations between soil nutrients (N, P, K, SOC, S, Se, Mn, and Fe) and plant uptake of As, Cd, Cu, and Cr indicate that nutrient availability plays a crucial role in controlling heavy metal(loid) bioavailability. The volcanic soils exhibited a “high total content–low bioavailability” pattern. Enhancing soil Se, SOC, available N, and slowly available K (SAK) can effectively reduce Cd and other high-risk metal accumulation in tuber crops. These findings elucidate the key geochemical processes influencing heavy metal transfer in volcanic agroecosystems and provide a scientific basis for safe agricultural utilization and health risk prevention in high-background regions.

One of the most important diseases affecting soil and tuber crops, especially within the fungal category, is black scurf of potatoes, caused by Rhizoctonia solani. The primary source of infection is seed tubers that are infected. Indian farmers commonly used boric acid to control potato black scurf. In two consecutive years (2022–24), the bio-efficacy of novel compounds against the potato black scurf disease was assessed. Compared to the untreated tuber, all of the new generation fungicides dramatically reduced disease. The results showed that tuber treatment with Thifluzamid 24.0 SC @ 0.35 per cent had the lowest percentage of disease incidence and intensity (8.0 and 5.0). This was comparable to tuber treatment with Penflufen 22.43 per cent FS @ 0.1 per cent (8.3 & 6.7) and tuber treatment with Pencycuron 22.9 SC @ 0.35 per cent (9.9 & 6.8). and produced the maximum B: C ratio (2.41) and the highest tuber yield (25.6 t/ha). Twenty two varieties of potato were evaluated against black scurf of potato and revealed that Kufri Ganga, Kufri Mohan, Kufri Pushkar, Kufri Kiran, Kufri Thar 2, Kufri Thar 3 and Kufri Surya were found as resistant, However Kufri Sukhyati, Kufri Lima, Kufri Neelkanth, Kufri Jamunia, Kufri Badshah, Kufri Sindhuri, Kufri Thar 1, Kufri Chipsona-1, Kufri Chipsona-2 and Kufri Chipsona-3 were as moderate resistant while, Kufri Pukhraj and Kufri Bahar as susceptible but none was found highly susceptible.

Limited annotated data often constrain accurate yield prediction in underrepresented crops. To address this challenge, we developed a cross-crop deep transfer learning (TL) framework that leverages potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) as the source domain to predict sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) yield using multi-temporal uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)-based multispectral imagery. A hybrid convolutional–recurrent neural network (CNN–RNN–Attention) architecture was implemented with a robust parameter-based transfer strategy to ensure temporal alignment and feature-space consistency across crops. Cross-crop feature migration analysis showed that predictors capturing canopy vigor, structure, and soil–vegetation contrast exhibited the highest distributional similarity between potato and sweet potato. In comparison, pigment-sensitive and agronomic predictors were less transferable. These robustness patterns were reflected in model performance, as all architectures showed substantial improvement when moving from the minimal 3 predictor subset to the 5–7 predictor subsets, where the most transferable indices were introduced. The hybrid CNN–RNN–Attention model achieved peak accuracy (R2≈0.64 and RMSE ≈ 18%) using time-series data up to the tuberization stage with only 7 predictors. In contrast, convolutional neural network (CNN), bidirectional gated recurrent unit (BiGRU), and bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) baseline models required 11–13 predictors to achieve comparable performance and often showed reduced or unstable accuracy at higher dimensionality due to redundancy and domain-shift amplification. Two-way ANOVA further revealed that cover crop type significantly influenced yield, whereas nitrogen rate and the interaction term were not significant. Overall, this study demonstrates that combining robustness-aware feature design with hybrid deep TL model enables accurate, data-efficient, and physiologically interpretable yield prediction in sweet potato, offering a scalable pathway for applying TL in other underrepresented root and tuber crops.

Aims: This study assessed farmers’ perception on agrochemical usage and associated risk practices in Taraba State, Nigeria. Study Design: A multi-stage survey design with structured questionnaire and 5 point likert scale. Place and Duration of Study: Taraba state, covering three wards in each of the sixteen local government areas and one development area, between October 2024 and July 2025. Methodology: Data were collected from 416 respondents across 16 Local Government Areas and 1 Development Area Council, using structured questionnaires. The questionnaire covered the Farmers’ bio-data, farm size, types of agro-chemicals, crop covered. The perception on the causes of overdose and risks of herbicide was examined on an seventeen perspectives. The critical mean of 3.0 was adopted on the 5-points likert scale used for the perception assessment. Results: Cereal and tuber crops dominated cultivation, with maize (30.4%) and rice (29.4%) as major crops, while groundnut (46.8%) and soybean (18.2%) were the main minor crops. Herbicides (45.1%) and fertilizers (28.4%) are the most common agrochemicals, sourced from open markets (63.1%) and individual stores (27.4%). Nearly all farmers (98.1%) used herbicides, predominantly smallholder (<5 ha; 60%), and knowledge of herbicide application was largely obtained through friends (39.2%) and neighbours (26.6%), though extension services contributed (16.7%). While the majority (65.8%) adhered to recommended herbicide application rates, 20.0% applied below and 14.3% above recommended doses. About 89.2% clean up immediately post-application, and 69.7% used personal protective equipment. Overdose of herbicides was largely attributed to ignorance of recommended doses, distrust in recommendations and perceptions of high weed pressure with mean score of 3.96, 3.89 and 3.78 respectively. Conclusion: There is the need for targeted extension services, education on safe agrochemical use, and regulatory oversight to promote sustainable and safe farming practices.

Rice straw management remains a major challenge in Wara Village, Jayawijaya Regency, where farmers commonly burn straw after harvest and lack the technical capacity to process agricultural waste. This community service program aimed to strengthen farmers’ and women’s family welfare development (FWD) technical and managerial skills by introducing biodecomposer technology based on locally available resources. The program involved socialization, technical training on compost production, simple farm bookkeeping instruction, field practice using molasses and EM4, and intensive mentoring. The results indicated substantial improvements in participants' knowledge and skills, including the ability to process 20–30 kg of rice straw per fermentation cycle and the establishment of a pilot farmer group capable of independently applying the technology. The family welfare development also gained competencies as household-level environmental stewards. The intervention contributed to reducing straw burning, improving soil quality through organic matter reintegration, and strengthening local socio-economic institutions. Overall, this program supports the development of autonomous, environmentally friendly, and sustainable agricultural practices in Wara Village.

Allantoin enhances growth and nutrient accumulation in Dioscorea opposita under saline-alkali stress through regulation of ion homeostasis and antioxidant capacity.

BackgroundHeterosis is a crucial theoretical and technological foundation for modern crop improvement, and its utilization has significantly enhanced agricultural productivity. As the most important tuber crop, research on the mechanism of heterosis in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) has just started, especially the research on root heterosis in diploid potato has not been reported yet.ResultsWe crossed two diploid materials HD5 and M9 with homozygous genomes to obtain the F1 hybrid HM with significant root heterosis. Transcriptome sequencing analysis was performed on the roots of 14-day-old hydroponically grown seedlings. A total of 2,156 non-additive expression genes, 5,306 dominant expression genes, 1,345 overdominant expression genes, and 3,246 allele-specific expression genes were obtained. Genetic effect analysis of heterosis showed that the dominant effect was the main mode of action during root development. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the above four gene sets indicated that the lignin biosynthesis pathway was involved in regulating the formation of root heterosis. Calculation of heterotic effects for 47 QTLs mapped using the F2 population showed that overdominance and complete-incomplete dominance constituted the primary heterotic effects of potato roots. Further integration of QTL mapping results with lignin pathway analysis identified six candidate genes related to root development heterosis: DM8C01G33280, DM8C02G28580, DM8C02G29270, DM8C03G31680, DM8C05G27310, and DM8C12G18910.ConclusionsThis study contributes to clarifying the molecular mechanisms of heterosis in potato root development and provides valuable targets for cloning and functional analysis of heterosis-related genes.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12870-025-07679-0.

Potato is an important vegetatively propagated, starch-rich tuber crop. High amylose potatoes containing more resistant starch offer healthier food alternatives. However, the resistant starch content is low in most cultivated potato varieties. In this study, targeted mutation of the starch branching enzyme2 (SBE2.1 & SBE2.2 isoforms) had been done in the commercially significant potato cultivar, Kufri Chipsona-I using Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9 system) to develop high-amylose potato lines. SBE2 is one of the key enzymes involved in amylopectin biosynthesis, a starch component. Two isoforms, SBE2.1 & SBE2.2, were mutated using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing. After Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation, fifty transformed lines were generated on herbicide Basta selection medium, out of which 70% were found positive for bar and Cas9 genes. Overall, six mutant lines, viz. K301, K302, K303, K304, K305, K306, derived from distinct events, exhibited deletions and substitutions in the target exons. The CRISPR-Cas9 edited K304 potato line exhibited both insertion–deletion (indel) and substitution mutations in three out of the four selected targets across both genes, and was therefore identified as the most efficiently edited line. The harvested tubers from SBE2.1 & SBE2.2 mutant K304 line showed the highest amylose (95.91%) and resistant starch content (8.69 g/100 g). Evaluation of starch using X-ray crystallography (XRD) illustrated an altered crystallinity index (CI%) in all six mutant events in comparison to the wild study. Furthermore, 1H-NMR study demonstrated a substantial decline in branch chain elongation in amylopectin, and thus a low degree of branching in a range of 1.15%–3.66% was reported in mutant lines, relative to the wild type (5.46%). The present study demonstrated the efficacy of CRISPR-Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of starch biosynthetic genes to develop high-amylose potato lines with elevated resistant starch content for improved health benefits.

Stress Resilience in Tuber Crops: A Closer View on Genome Editing and Molecular Approaches

Yam bean is a lesser-known gem among leguminous tuber crops. It can provide essential key nutrients that the majority of the world's population and their livestock can access. These plants provide a type of food that is less expensive, accessible, and easy to find in comparison to other food sources. Regrettably, in India, this crop is overlooked and not fully utilized. If commercialized, yam bean could address food and nutritional insecurity challenges while expanding the variety of food and feed products available for both humans and livestock. The timing of sowing yam bean significantly influences the growth and yield of yam bean tubers, with sowing primarily occurring at the beginning of the monsoon. Therefore, an experiment on was conducted at Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Dapoli, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli during Kharif season of year 2023-24. Two factors were studied during the investigation using factorial randomized block design (p= .05) viz. sowing dates (D) i.e., D₁-1st week of June, D₂-3rd week of June, D3 -1st week of July, D4 -3rd week of July and Interval of reproductive pruning (P) P1 – Weekly, P2 –Fortnightly, P3 – No pruning. Result showed that the highest plant height 120 days after sowing was observed in D1P2 (202.17 cm) which was at par with the D1P3 (200.40 cm) whereas, the lowest was recorded in D4P3 (89.00 cm) and average number of leaves was highest in the D2P1 (107.17), whereas the lowest average was found in the D3P3 (71.20). This research offers valuable insights into the growth parameters of Yam Bean, a crop with significant potential for addressing food and nutritional insecurity. It provides critical data on how sowing dates and reproductive pruning affect plant height and leaf number, directly benefiting agricultural practices in similar agro-climatic zones. The study's findings could help optimize the cultivation of this underutilized crop, promoting its commercial viability. Its focus on crop growth in the Konkan region offers a model for farmers in similar climates, helping improve yields and promote better farming practices.

N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N’-phenylurea (Forchlorfenuron, CPPU) is widely used in crop production to promote fruit growth. However, the mechanism of action in root and tuber crops remains unclear. Sweet potatoes are the third most important root crop, and the application of exogenous CPPU in the field production of sweet potatoes is of great significance. In this study, we characterised the effects of different concentrations of CPPU applied 30 days after planting on the agronomic traits of sweet potatoes, as well as the effects of applying 9 mg/L CPPU on endogenous hormones and gene expression in the stem tips and young roots of sweet potatoes. The results showed that spraying 9 mg/L CPPU on sweet potato cuttings 30 d after planting increased the total yield of sweet potato tubers, marketable tuber yield, tuber dry matter content, and soluble sugar content. Furthermore, the foliar application of 9 mg/L CPPU reduced the levels of GAs, auxins, and ABA in stem tips and young roots, while increasing CKs and SA content in stem tips and decreasing SA content in young roots. Transcriptome data analysis revealed that CPPU mainly regulates the growth and development of sweet potato tubers by promoting lignin synthesis, affecting the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway, and regulating key genes in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. RT-qPCR results indicated that exogenous CPPU treatment induced an upregulation in the expression levels of most key genes and transcription factors. This study offers a new reference for enhancing the practical production of sweet potatoes, sheds new light on the impact of CPPU on the growth and development of root crops, and provides fresh insights into future research on sweet potato root tuber enlargement.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12870-025-07573-9.

Yam (Dioscorea spp.), a member of the Dioscoreaceae family, is a tuber crop of high nutritional and agro-industrial value. The variety Dioscorea alata is widely cultivated in the Colombian Caribbean but faces challenges such as post-harvest losses and limited industrial application. This study aimed to evaluate the quality attributes of biscuits formulated with partial substitution of wheat flour by Dioscorea alata flour. Biscuits are widely consumed baked goods with long shelf life and are suitable vehicles for nutritional enhancement through flour substitution. Four formulations were developed with 0%, 20%, 30%, and 40% yam flour substitution levels. Physicochemical parameters, bromatological composition, microbiological quality, sensory attributes, and instrumental texture profile analysis (TPA) were assessed. The incorporation of yam flour increased fiber and carbohydrate content while reducing protein and ash levels, with carbohydrate content reaching 81.52% in the 40% formulation. Moisture content decreased from 12.82% (control) to 10.21% (T3), whereas fat content increased from 1.41% to 1.95%. Microbiological analysis confirmed compliance with NTC 1241 standards, ensuring product safety. Sensory evaluation showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) among treatments, with acceptability scores between 5.41 and 5.74, indicating good consumer acceptance up to 40% substitution. The 30% substitution level showed the highest sensory preference. Texture analysis revealed the lowest hardness at 30% substitution (4862.07 N) and the highest at 40% (7589.12 N), suggesting that moderate substitution improves softness while higher levels increase compactness. Overall, yam flour substitution up to 40% maintained desirable quality attributes without compromising texture, flavor, or safety; these findings support the use of Dioscorea alata flour as a functional ingredient in biscuit production, promoting the utilization of local crops and innovation in traditional bakery products.

Sweet potato is a globally important root and tuber crop. Soft rot severely threatens its postharvest quality and market value. However, research on the pathogenic mechanisms of soft rot remains limited. Here, we isolated a highly virulent fungal strain, Rhizopus stolonifer MY03, and identified one single nucleotide polymorphism within the promoter region of JASMONATE-ZIM domain protein 10 (IbJAZ10) linked to soft rot resistance. In susceptible varieties, the expression of IbJAZ10Hap2 was significantly upregulated. Overexpression of IbJAZ10 enhanced susceptibility to soft rot. IbJAZ10 interacts with NUCLEAR FACTOR-Y protein 3 (IbNF-YA3). The high dosage Pro::IbNF-YA3Hap1 allele led to a substantial increase in IbNF-YA3 expression, which conferred resistance to soft rot and improved yield by > 9.7%. Moreover, a MY03-specific effector RsSUN41 hijacks IbJAZ10 to degrade IbNF-YA3, thereby inhibiting multiple defense pathways. Our findings provide insights into Rhizopus pathogenicity and establish a genetic basis for soft rot research as well as the development of disease-resistant crops.

Climate change and socio-economic transformation increasingly challenge the stability of China's food supply. This study aims to optimize grain crop layouts by integrating natural suitability and nutritional supply within a unified analytical framework. Using the MaxEnt model incorporating bioclimatic, topographic, and soil variables, we simulated the natural suitability of major grain crops and compared it with actual planting patterns based on the SPAM dataset. Results revealed substantial spatial discrepancies between actual and suitable distributions, with national planting diversity index increasing by 26.42% (from 0.53 to 0.67) under suitable conditions. Wheat and maize are most suited to northern China, rice and tuber crops to southern regions, while soybean performs optimally in the northeast. Nutrient supply potential also improved substantially under the suitable scenario, with energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate increasing by 56.9 × 108 KJ, 77.2 × 106 g, 23.3 × 106 g, and 48.6 × 106 g per million people, respectively. Among alternative structures, maize-soybean and maize-based planting structures better aligned with both natural adaptability and nutritional balance (e.g., in Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang), whereas rice-based structure showed weaker correspondence (e.g., in Shanghai). These findings demonstrate that naturally adaptive optimization can enhance both environmental compatibility and nutritional adequacy, providing scientific guidance for developing climate-resilient and nutrition-oriented crop layout strategies in China.

Eddoe taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott var. antiquorum) is a valuable tuber crop widely cultivated for its starchy corms and cormels, which serve as a rich source of carbohydrates and essential nutrients. However, the optimization of potting media for eddoe taro cultivation in controlled environments has not been fully explored. This study evaluated the effects of five potting substrates on the growth, tuber yield and quality of eddoe taro under nethouse conditions. A completely randomized design was employed with five treatments: Loamy soil (Tre 1), loamy soil + coconut coir (1:1) (Tre 2), loamy soil + TMX mixed soil (1:1) (Tre 3), loamy soil + coconut coir + TMX mixed soil (1:1:1) (Tre 4) and loamy soil + mixed coconut coir (rice husk: rice husk ash: coconut coir, 1:1:5) + TMX mixed soil (1:1:1) (Tre 5). Each treatment consisted of 15 replicates (one plant per pot). Growth parameters such as plant height, leaf number and leaf size were significantly improved in treatments containing TMX mixed soil (Tre 3, 4 and 5) compared to treatments without TMX (Tre 1 and 2). Tre 4 yielded the highest total cormels (37 per plant), marketable tubers (20.5 per plant), corm yield (0.95 kg/m²), cormel yield (8.81 kg/m²) and marketable yield (8.29 kg/m²). Additionally, this treatment produced tubers with superior quality characteristics, including 15.4 % dry matter content and 27.9 mg/g fresh weight of total sugar. These findings demonstrate that loamy soil combined with coconut coir and TMX mixed soil (1:1:1) serves as an optimal substrate for eddoe taro cultivation in pots under controlled environments, offering practical solutions for urban and small-scale farming systems.

Interactions between wildlife and agricultural systems represent a major challenge in the peripheral zones of protected areas. The Mont Sangbé National Park, located in Western Côte d’Ivoire, exemplifies this issue due to the high frequency of wildlife crop depredation affecting both subsistence and commercial farming. This study aims to characterize the composition, diversity, and structure of crop raider communities in this area, to identify dominant crop raider species and the most vulnerable crops. The survey was conducted among 120 farming households across three villages surrounding Mont Sangbé National Park. Data were collected between February and April 2022 through semi-structured interviews, direct observations and consultations with OIPR agents. Analyses focused on relative frequency, species richness, diversity indices and multivariate structuring. Results reveal a predominance of Erythrocebus patas and Thryonomys swinderianus, which together account for over one-third of the reported damage. Perennial and tuber crops exhibited high crop raider species richness, whereas a small number of crop raider species dominated short-cycle crops. Hill numbers and dominance indices confirmed these imbalances. Multivariate analyses revealed a coherent structuring of crop raider communities according to crop typology, with distinct functional groupings. These findings highlight the importance of differentiated agroecological management approaches tailored to the ecological specificities of both crops and crop-raider species.

Purpose This paper examines the nexus between climate policy uncertainty (CPU) and its impact on major tuber crop futures, focusing on low-income food-deficit countries (LIFDCs) heavily reliant on tuber crops. Design/methodology/approach This study investigates this phenomenon with a focus on climate policy uncertainty. We employ quantile regression analyses. Findings Notably, our study found that CPU significantly shapes tuber crop futures, with effects varying by crop and context – stronger at higher quantiles for potatoes in Rwanda and Mali, persistent across all quantiles in Yemen, concentrated in upper tails for yams in Togo and Mali and divergent for cassava, boosting futures in Rwanda and Togo but dampening them in Benin. Research limitations/implications Findings suggest that clearer and more supportive climate policies are crucial for stabilizing tuber crop markets and enhancing food security in LIFDCs. This calls for clear, stable and credible climate policies. Practical implications Findings suggest that clearer and more supportive climate policies are crucial for stabilizing tuber crop markets and enhancing food security in LIFDCs. This calls for clear, stable and credible climate policies. Social implications Findings suggest that clearer and more supportive climate policies are crucial for stabilizing tuber crop markets and enhancing food security in LIFDCs. This calls for clear, stable and credible climate policies. Originality/value Our study examines the impact of climate policy uncertainty on futures of major tuber crops in low-income food-deficit countries (LIFDCs). This study offers some guidance for climate policy and futures markets in food-deficit countries.

Elephant foot yam (Amorphophalluspaeoniifolius) is a versatile tuberous crop known for its nutritional value and functional properties. This study investigates the effects of various pretreatment methods, including soaking in potassium metabisulfite and citric acid, blanching, and drying at different temperatures, on the physicochemical, functional, antioxidant, and thermo-pasting properties of elephant foot yam. The highest total phenolic content (TPC), recorded at 0.098 mg/100 g, was observed in control samples dried at 70°C. In terms of ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), untreated samples exhibited the greatest activity (0.357 at 70°C), while blanched samples showed the lowest (0.303 at 70°C). The thermal pasting behavior, measured by rheological analysis, showed notable variation based on the type of pretreatment, impacting gelatinization temperature and peak viscosity. Peak viscosity of untreated samples ranged from 1012 to 2178 cP as the drying temperature increased from 50°C to 70°C, with the lowest viscosity (1012 cP) also noted at 70°C. Pretreatments were found to significantly influence moisture content, starch composition, and swelling power, which in turn affected the functional attributes like water absorption, solubility, and viscosity. Furthermore, pretreatment methods significantly influenced the antioxidant capacity of elephant foot yam (Amorphophalluspaeoniifolius) tubers, as reflected by changes in phenolic content and free radical scavenging activity. This effect is primarily attributed to the biochemical and structural alterations induced in the plant tissue during pretreatment. These findings suggest that selecting appropriate pretreatment strategies can enhance the nutritional and functional quality of underutilized elephant foot yams, making them more suitable for diverse food industrial applications.

Cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta </i>Crantz) is a tuberous root crop widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, however, cassava roots also contain cyanogenic glycosides. This study aims to characterize the nutritional composition and cyanide content of cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta</i> Crantz) tuberous roots from cultivars selected in three localities of the Pool department, Republic of Congo: Loukoko, Mbanza Nkolo and Ntoula. Analyses focused on water, ash, protein, lipid, total free sugars and hydrocyanic acid (HCN) content. The results reveal a high biochemical variability between cultivars and localities. Water contents range from 53.12% to 69.49%, directly influencing post-harvest conservation. Ash contents (1.02% to 3.8%) indicate a significant mineral richness, particularly in Mbanza Nkolo cultivars. Proteins reach up to 2.94% in some Ntoula cultivars, suggesting improved nutritional potential. Lipids, although low (0.2% to 0.81%), show interesting variations for energy intake. Total free sugars range from 0.2% to 14.9%, influencing palatability and processing possibilities. Regarding cyanide content, all cultivars exceed the safety threshold recommended by FAO/WHO (10 mg/kg), with values up to 93.3 mg/kg. These results highlight the need for appropriate processing practices to ensure food safety. All the data obtained make it possible to identify promising cultivars for direct consumption, agri-food processing or varietal selection, while taking into account the health risks associated with cyanogenic glycosides.