Cultivation and culture of Dioscorea esculenta in Papua

Abstract

The study of cultivation and culture of Dioscorea esculenta (gembili) in the Papua Province of ethnobotany was carried out in Jayapura districts (Yoka and Yongsu villages) and Merauke districts (Yanggandur and Sota villages). These sites were the gembili development center in Papua. The data collected includes socio-cultural, local wisdom, its contribution to the economy of farmer households, and the environment for growing gembili. The research results identified two types of gembili in Jayapura, by the community known as Yara (11 accessions) and Fam (5 accessions), also 30 accessions of local gembili in Merauke. Gembili has a strategic role in the customs and culture of the indigenous tribes in Papua. The gembili germplasm needs to be utilized and developed.