Dichotomous key determining varietal groups of yam species Dioscorea alata L.

Abstract

Yam is an important food crop in Côte d'Ivoire. Nevertheless, its production is facing many constraints including the inability to distinguish cultivated varieties from one another. Thus, different varieties and species are designated by the same names from one region to the other and vice versa, the same varieties are called differently. The absence of major descriptors, which are easy to use is the main cause of this confusion. The objective of this study is to propose agro-morphological descriptors easy to identify, for a better determination of yam varieties of D. alata. A total of 91 accessions of yam of D. alata species were used. These accessions were observed using morphological parameter. Eight simple agro-morphological descriptors which are easy to describe were identified as major dichotomous keys for the determination of the D. alata species. These characters have been selected based on the discrimination they permit to operate. Using them, four varietal groups were formed: Pyramid, Douoblé, Brazo and Bêtê-Bêtê.

A review of varietal change in roots, tubers and bananas: consumer preferences and other drivers of adoption and implications for breeding

“…However, field trials for C18 showed that it yielded less than other alata clones, which had not been widely grown. This difference confirmed the importance of culinary quality in adoption (Kouakou et al, 2012). As (Doumbia et al, 2014) notes, by 2007 in the central region of Côte d'Ivoire" the average coverage per farm was as follows: C18 covered 0.17 ha, Florido 0.12 ha, all D. Alata (0.32 ha), and all yams (D. alata and rotundata) 0.35 ha.…”

Yam Cropping System in Cote d’Ivoire: Current Practices and Constraints

“…For example, the improved varieties C18 and Florido are called Cameroun or Americain by the farmers. The works of Kouakou (2010) and Kouakou et al (2015) gave agro-morphological criteria for the identification of varietal groups for D. alata.…”