Publications /  Annual Report 1998

Achira or Canna (Canna edulis). Grown in warm Andean valleys as well as in Vietnam. Used mainly for industrial starch and noodle production. Roots are also baked or boiled and eaten. Pudding made from starch is served to children and convalescents.

Ahipa (Pachyrhizus ahipa). A relative of Mexican jicama (P. erosus), grown in subtropical eastern Bolivia and northern Argentina. Tubers are consumed fresh, like fruit. High in protein, starch, and sugars.
Potentially useful in starch production.

Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza). A relative of both carrot and celery, producing a starchy storage root that resembles a parsnip. Boiled, fried, or baked for use in soups, stews, and salads. Used in instant baby foods and soups, and as a base for desserts. Young stems can be used in salads or cooked as a vegetable. Leaves are fed to livestock.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii). Cultivated in central Peru at altitudes of up to 4,400 meters. Roots believed to possess fertility-enhancing properties, and to improve vitality, mental capacity, reproductive health, and immune system response. Can be eaten fresh or processed into nutritional supplements, flour, candies, jams, or drinks.

Mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum). Very high yielding (up to 70 tons/hectare). Contains natural insecticidal compounds, and often planted with other crops to protect fields from pests. Sometimes used as medicine for kidney ailments and as a diuretic.

Mauka (Mirabilis expansa). Ancient crop rediscovered by scientists in the 1960s. Produces succulent edible stems and tasty roots high in carbohydrates and protein. Boiled or baked and eaten in soups, stews, or desserts. Foliage high in protein, hence good fodder. Extensive root system and long duration make it useful for erosion control.

Oca (Oxalis tuberosa). A major staple in pre-Columbian times, mainly eaten boiled in soups and stews. Very high yielding (up to 55 tons/hectare). High in starch, minerals, and organic acids (including soluble oxalates), hence slightly acidic in taste.

Ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus). Colorful tubers are cooked in stews and soups, or dried as chips and stored for later use. Leaves high in protein, calcium, and carotene, and similar in taste and texture to Malabar spinach (Basella alba).

Yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius). Naturally sweetened by fructo-oligosaccharides, which are not metabolized by the body, thus useful for diabetics. Roots eaten raw; can be dried and made into chips or prepared as pickles. Potential raw material for high-fructose syrups. Leaves used as tea, reputed to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels.