Diversity of Ullucus tuberosus (Basellaceae) in the Colombian Andes and notes on ulluco domestication based on morphological and molecular data

Abstract

Ullucus tuberosus (common name 'ulluco') is a popular tuber crop of Andean highlands. Until now attention has been focused on ulluco from Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, but little is known about its diversity in Colombia. Thirty-six accessions of cultivated ulluco preserved in the Gene Bank of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia were studied to assess the genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure of Colombian ulluco. We used morphological characters, molecular markers (total proteins, isozymes and RAPDs) and ploidy level. High morphological variability, especially for tuber shape and colour characters, was found. Eight accessions from north-east Colombian Andes showed some typical character-states of wild ulluco, suggesting that they could be partially domesticated forms. Genetic analysis using RAPD markers indicated that these accessions were very similar to other cultivated ullucos belonging to the same region. The regional structure observed in isozyme and RAPD dendrograms was confirmed by AMOVA results (52.6% among-region variation) and the spatial correlogram, showing the presence of two gene pools of ulluco in Colombia. Our results and the accumulated data suggest that ulluco was introduced to Colombia at least two times. Initially, semi-domesticated forms would have come from the central Andes to northeast Colombian Andes, where the native inhabitants would have completed the domestication process. Again, fully domesticated ullucos might have been introduced to south-west Colombian Andes.

Experimenting with Growing Ulluco as a Niche Crop for Fun and Profit

“…Illustrations of ulluco have been found on wooden vessels, ceramic urns and sculptures from the same region, which are dated from about 2,250 -2,050 BC [3]. There is a huge variety in molecular diversity between crops from different areas, indicating though ulluco was originally domesticated in southern Bolivia, after a first wave of being diffused north to Columbia, another wave of diversification occurred and Columbian varieties are significantly different from central South American varieties [4].…”

Ullucus tuberosus

“…The green leaves of ulluco are also nutritious. In Colombia and Peru, the mucilaginous ulluco leaves are occasionally eaten in salads and as a vegetable (Parra-Quijano et al 2012 ). They are also sometimes boiled to make soup or used like Malabar spinach, which they resemble in taste.…”

Diversity and distribution of andean tubers: an agrogeographic analysis

“…Tapia & Fries (2007) consider that one of the domestication centers of U. tuberosus is Colombia, since the cultivated morphotypes present wild characteristics such as creeping growth and smaller diameter of the tubers. However, Parra-Q et al (2012) suggest that the site of origin was in the central Andes, between Peru and Bolivia, from García Díaz et al…”