The aim of this study was to characterize 43 genotypes from five yam species [ (Poir), (Linn), (Linn), (Lam) and (Kunith) Pax] which are major land races in Nigeria in terms of their chemical composition, nutritional, anti-nutritional and mineral bioavailability. Findings showed that there was genotypic variation in terms of chemical composition, mineral profile and bioavailability of the minerals among the germplasm. had the highest cell wall carbohydrates, (cellulose: 3.2%, hemicelluloses, 2.1%, lignin, 1.1%, acid detergent fibre (ADF) 3.2%, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) 6.4%), had the highest oxalate (606 mg/kg). In conclusion, intra and inter-species variations exist among the yam germplasm in terms of their chemical composition, anti-nutritional and mineral bioavailability. Phytate content of the yam genotypes did not affect the bioavailability of Zn but Ca was affected significantly. The Ox:Ca ratio in most of the yam varieties were below one, thus bioavailability of Ca in yam by oxalate is variety dependent.

The study reports end user preferences for pounded yam in two pounded yam consuming regions (south‐west and south‐east) in Nigeria and its implications for trait evaluation by breeding programme. Key user‐preferred quality traits for pounded yam were colour and textural quality followed by taste and aroma. There were regional differences in ranking of these quality attributes.

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