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Everything Else => Tropical Vegetables and Other Edibles => Topic started by: Caesar on July 07, 2018, 12:37:37 AM

Title: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 07, 2018, 12:37:37 AM
Well, I think I finally cracked. I went too deep, and now I mostly have yams on the brain. But that's okay... I'll never go hungry with a good yam collection.  ;)

Having read the 6 documents of "Tropical Yams and their Potential", as well as other sources, I've come up with a list of yams that I'm looking to collect, multiply and disseminate to other growers (these are marked with a checkmark: ✓). I've also listed a couple of other yams that are deemed edible by the literature, but that don't strongly catch my attention (also marked with a checkmark anyway: ✓), have been outright rejected (these are marked with an X), or have poorly-known qualities regarding their edibility (asterism: ⁂ ).

The Big 5 (or 8, depending on how you segregate the species): ✓
1 - D. rotundata (White Guinea Yam) + D. cayennensis (Yellow Guinea Yam)
2 - D. alata (Greater / Winged Yam) + D. purpurea (Ube / Purple Yam)
3 - D. bulbifera (Asian Air Potato) + D. latifolia (African Air Potato)
4 - D. esculenta (Lesser / Potato Yam)
5 - D. trifida (Cushcush / Mapuey Yam)

The Lesser 5:
1 - D. pentaphylla (Five-leaf Yam) - ✓
2 - D. transversa (Australian / Pencil Yam) - ✓
3 - D. nummularia (Pacific Yam) - ✓
4 - D. dumetorum (Trifoliate Yam) - ¿✓?
5 - D. hispida (Intoxicating Yam; also known as D. reticulata) - X

The Temperate 3: ✓
1 - D. polystachya (Nagaimo / Chinese Yam; also known as D. oppositifolia & D. batatas)
2 - D. japonica (Japanese Yam)
3 - D. hamiltonii (¿Nameless? I'd just call it Hamilton's Yam)

The Leftovers? (not a great name, but  don't know what else to call 'em; it doesn't mean they're of bad quality):
1 - ¿D. pseudo-tomentosa? (¿Nameless?) - ✓
2 - D. remotiflora ("Camote de Cerro" / Mexican Mountain Yam) - ✓
3 - D. dodecaneura (Ornamental Yam) - ✓
4 - D. orangeana (¿Madagascar Yam?) - ⁂
5 - D. brachybotrya ("Papa Cimarrona" / "Jaboncillo") - X
6 - D. humifusa ("Huanqui") - X
7 - D. deltoidea (¿Nameless?) - X
8 - D. rupicola (¿Elephant's Foot?) - ⁂
9 - D. altissima (Dunguey) - ⁂
10 - Rajania cordata ("Ñame Gulembo") - ¿X?

I'm currently growing D. rotundata, alata, purpurea, bulbifera, trifida, and polystachya. I have some possible sources to check out for D. esculenta, japonica, latifolia and additional strains of bulbifera. D. cayennensis eludes me, but though I'm sure it's here in Puerto Rico, it's not common nor easy to find (if anyone has some, send 'em my way).

I recently received a mystery yam in the mail from eBay, but it arrived so thoroughly dried out that I don't expect it to survive (though the vendor assures me that it should or they'd reimburse me, which I declined); nevertheless, I planted it anyway and hope against hope that I'll get something out of it. It was sold as a D. pentaphylla, but the vine photos reminded me of alata, and the bulbil photos resembled bulbifera. The vendor confirmed it was not pentaphylla, but I bought it anyway 'cause it was cheap and I felt like trying it out. At any rate, the vendor confirmed that it was fully edible, bulbils-and-all, so I considered it valuable anyway. If it survives, I hope to be able to deduce the species from the anatomy.

I have some D. hamiltonii seeds coming in the mail, as well as some true pentaphylla bulbils. When asked about the pentaphylla bulbils (as opposed to the tuber), the vendor said they don't eat them, but they never explicitly confirmed that they were toxic. I'd really like to know if they're edible, but since there are toxic pentaphylla strains out there, I'm reluctant to try them; if I could find a lab able and willing to analyze a cooked sample, I could lay that doubt to rest. The tuber was confirmed to be edible steamed.

There's another mystery yam coming in the mail, sold as D. pseudo-tomentosa. I couldn't find anything in the literature about this species being edible (or toxic), only that it's endangered. The photos of the yam may have vaguely resembled D. esculenta, but I may be reaching with that conclusion. Truth be told, I'd love for it to be genuine D. pseudo-tomentosa, to add another good species to the germplasm. Link here (https://m.ebay.com/itm/UNCLE-CHAN-2-bulbs-Dioscorea-pseudo-tomentosa-THAI-POTATO-GUMMY-EDIBLE-YUMMY/152763087745?hash=item239163bb81:g:TOQAAOSwEOpZ9K4q).

D. transversa is very high on my wish list (specifically the large-tubered bulbil-bearing strain), but no luck finding it yet. No idea where to find D. nummularia (which is said to closely resemble rotundata), but I also consider it important as a supposedly good-quality species. Interestingly, one document claimed that some nummularia cultivars were introduced to Puerto Rico; also, there seems to be some confusion in the literature whether to consider the cultivar "Wael" as a type of transversa or of nummularia.

I don't object to D. dumetorum if I can obtain it, but I'm not really looking for this one. The best strains still seem like poor quality yams and they have to be eaten quickly after harvesting or they turn hard (even after cooking) and difficult to peel (as if their strange shape didn't already make that a challenge). The worst strains are downright toxic, which leads me to its close relative... I don't even know how D. hispida made it into the original documents. I don't even care that they have in-fact been eaten before (and they're probably still eaten to this day), even the best strains are dangerously toxic and require jumping through hoops to detoxify and turn them edible, and we all know how I feel about that... Famine food. So I just mentioned it for completion's sake, but I don't consider that species edible, nor am I interested in it in the slightest.

D. remotiflora is an edible wild mexican yam that barely even has a presence in the literature. If it weren't for a single isolated YouTube video (link here (https://youtu.be/PCHfYNfh06I)) showing its harvest, I wouldn't even know this species was edible. It seems to bear some resemblance to D. polystachya, which is also referred to as "Camote de Cerro" in Mexico. As it seems to be rare and difficult to find, with few traits to explicitly recommend it, I won't go out of my way looking for it. But if someone out there has some and is willing to share, I'd be very grateful nonetheless.

D. dodecaneura doesn't seem like an especially important species, but it is listed in several sources as being edible raw or cooked with an almond-like flavor; it's also a beautiful ornamental. I'm kinda interested in it. A few links: Link 1 (http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Dioscorea+dodecaneura), Link 2 (https://unusualediblesandtheirwildrelatives.blogspot.com/2018/02/ornamental-yam-dioscorea-dodecaneura.html?m=1), Link 3 (https://meueternoceu.blogspot.com/2016/01/060-cara-da-terra.html?m=1)

D. orangeana is Madagascar's only edible native Dioscorea, and is a recent discovery. I've yet to find an online source that knows anything about it, or if it's even conventionally edible (as opposed to a hispida-like famine food). Unless it's explicitly confirmed as conventionally edible, I'm not too interested in it (and even then, it's like remotiflora, where it's so rare I'm not sure it's worth going out of my way for it).

I saw brachybotrya, humifusa, deltoidea and rupicola on a YouTube video (link here (https://youtu.be/bPeKBm2Qy68)) where a guy was trying to germinate them from seed (along with other rare supposedly edible species... like reticulata/hispida). When checked online, the Chilean brachybotrya & humifusa turned out to be toxic and bitter (¿saponins?), and probably require special preparation, so I'm not interested in either as a crop. Deltoidea from Asia was also said to be bitter but edible in PFAF, though the article (link here (https://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Dioscorea+deltoidea)) urged caution, and mentioned that it's boiled with wood ashes to remove bitterness. It doesn't seem like a good prospect either, so I'm not interested. Regarding rupicola, I could barely find anything about it online, but one seed seller claims it to be edible (link here (http://scamptonsucculents.mybisi.com/product/easy-to-grow-wild-yam-fresh-seeds)). I couldn't see the details because when I clicked the link it failed to open for me. Maybe the link will work for one of you and you can post the screenshot. At any rate, I'll be interested if it turns out to be conventionally edible, but as a desert plant I doubt it'd be particularly prolific as a crop, so I probably wouldn't go out of my way for it anyway.

Edit: Another species:
D. altissima was present in another seed sowing video. There's not much in the literature about it, but it's apparently wild harvested and occasionally home grown for its edible tubers in parts of its native range in South America; it's also present in Puerto Rico. A photo search revealed a very thorny stem and small aerial bulbils. I wouldn't grow it from anything other than seeds, for fear that it might carry the same virus as R. cordata, but since there's no details available on preparation & toxicity level (¿Conventionally edible? ¿Detoxification necessary?), I'm not too interested in trying it... Maybe a little. Info link here (http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Dioscorea+altissima).

And finally, Rajania cordata, our very own Ñame Gulembo. It's a close relative of Dioscorea. I don't recall having tasted this one (though I might be mistaken). I'll have to ask around for am account of its flavor, but my grandmother mentions that it is fibrous. It grows wild in the mountains of Puerto Rico and is wild-harvested here. So why have I rejected it? Because it is a carrier of a virus that is a very nasty disease of D. trifida (and also affects other species, to varying degrees). That's a big risk for a crop that's probably not very decent (though it requires no special preparation). Why the question marks? Well, I've yet to find out if the seeds carry the disease. If they don't, I wouldn't mind trying my hand at this species. But first I need assurance that I'm not endangering my other yams before I'd be willing to even consider it.

***

So this is a taste of what I wish to achieve. There's a lot of edible yam roots out there, and I wanna grow as many as I can, especially the better types, and help get them to other interested growers. It seems absurd to me that something as widespread, productive and gastronomically wholesome as the air potato was so hard for me to find in the first place. And it seems even weirder that other good yams (which don't have the same legal issues) seem even harder to find. So let's get a good germplasm collection up and running to get these species into the hands of other hobbyists. The more people join our exchange network, the better.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on July 07, 2018, 01:47:41 PM
WOW!!! You are The Yam King!  ;D
Thank you very much for this great info!
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 07, 2018, 09:28:32 PM
Haha, the Yam King... I like the sound of that. But surely the original document authors have me beat in that regard. I remember that when I first got into agriculture, having decided to become a farmer, I'd facetiously tell my friends that my work would be growing yams in the hillsides. I never imagined that I'd actually be dreaming of doing just that. Oh well, yams are only part of it, I love all edible crops. I hope I'll be able to get a piece of land soon.

I took some photos of the backyard, particularly the yam trellises. Please disregard the mess, I need to clean up soon.  ;)

Here's the pvc trellis, still under construction (just a couple of posts so far). I'll add some t-jointed side bars on top, and link everything with clotheslines. I'll also link it to the bamboo trellis, with which it's perpendicular at the corners.
(https://s22.postimg.cc/y4q6thv9p/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/y4q6thv9p/)

Here's the bamboo trellis, with some very vigorous bulbifera vines reaching past it and into the big pigeon pea bush in the side yard... They'll be reaching the Açaí palms soon!
(https://s22.postimg.cc/64m39dk59/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/64m39dk59/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/ezmxjxj8d/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/ezmxjxj8d/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/ij8v9q6il/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/ij8v9q6il/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/x2g0b57d9/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/x2g0b57d9/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/iw09fxbxp/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/iw09fxbxp/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/pmgqpd6t9/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/pmgqpd6t9/)

The bulbifera tote (six plus the original rotundata and a trifida), the tomato tote (with a second rotundata strain, a trifida and the two alatas - one of them the purpurea strain) and the Lerén tote (three of these, with four potato mints and six trifidas):

(https://s22.postimg.cc/h5h8ei7a5/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/h5h8ei7a5/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/kcbry31zx/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/kcbry31zx/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/c6tpzyvrh/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/c6tpzyvrh/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/5t4mwpj5p/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/5t4mwpj5p/)

And a nice view of the rotundata growing up alongside the bulbifera:
(https://s22.postimg.cc/4e3283se5/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/4e3283se5/)

I'll be adding more totes over time, as well as a few buckets for those that I'd like to grow more isolated or compact (like the polystachya & hamiltonii). The green tote off to the side (currently housing some turmeric that I'll move to the ground) will house the Hodgsonia vines.

***

I forgot to post a pic of my dried up mystery bulbils, so here it is:
(https://s22.postimg.cc/3v6p6zw99/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/3v6p6zw99/)

And the links to the pentaphylla bulbils (I bought the first one):
Link 1 (https://m.ebay.com/itm/3-Bulb-Dioscorea-pentaphylla-Air-Potato-thai-/182843901979?txnId=1837985198008), and Link 2 (https://m.ebay.com/itm/3-Bulb-Dioscorea-pentaphylla-L-local-seasonal-fruits-of-Thailand-Thai-herbs-/253700392951).

Also, either I misread the information or it was outdated, because I found two to four extra Yams from Madagascar that are allegedly edible: D. acuminata and/or D. maciba, and D. alatipes and/or D. bako.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on July 08, 2018, 10:28:09 AM
Hi! That's great! But this bulbs rehidrate and growth?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 10, 2018, 02:38:18 PM
I did rehydrate them prior to sowing, but my concern was the extent to which they were dried, the fact that some were apparently squished in the package, and the fact that all of them had already sprouted, and the sprouts were nothing but dried twigs at this point. They'll probably succumb to rotting, but I'm still praying for a miracle.

I got my D. hamiltonii seeds yesterday, I think there were like 30 in the package. I planted 10 in a jar covered with plastic wrap to preserve moisture, and soaked the rest, per the instructions. I'll be planting those soon in a plastic pot.

(https://s22.postimg.cc/81zuyf21p/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/81zuyf21p/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/3sv4w9e7x/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/3sv4w9e7x/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/8rinaspql/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/8rinaspql/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: D-Grower on July 12, 2018, 09:01:04 AM
You are the yam King! Agree with above poster.

I too am into yams but haven't been able to source many varieties that are edible. Only have the D. alata purple type and D. opposita. Would love any you could share! I'm going to make a post shortly with a list of plants I have available. Maybe we could trade???

DG
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 14, 2018, 12:58:33 PM
You are the yam King! Agree with above poster.

I too am into yams but haven't been able to source many varieties that are edible. Only have the D. alata purple type and D. opposita. Would love any you could share! I'm going to make a post shortly with a list of plants I have available. Maybe we could trade???

DG

Definitely! I'll have material available as soon as the vines die back, maybe somewhere around November - March.

I managed to contact the local Ag. Station in Corozal, where they apparently specialize in Yams. I'm not sure how many varieties they have, but they explicitly confirmed that they have several varieties of D. esculenta, as well as several each of D. alata, D. rotundata and D. trifida. They'll have stock ready later in the year as well, which I'll acquire and plant for next year. I'm gonna give them some of my bulbiferas, so they can evaluate the variety as well. If I give them a bulbil, they won't be able to give it a fair shot until the year after, but if I give them an in-ground tuber, they should get a mature productive vine in their first year. Hmm... I think I can spare a tuber.

Speaking of my bulbifera, I reviewed parts of TYATP (Tropical Yams and their Potential) again, and I'm fairly confident that my bulbifera is varietas "Sativa". Of the asian bulbiferas, there are four varieties: two small-bulbilled wild types (distinguished from each other by leaf shape), Suavior (which is characterized by prominent lenticels on large mature bulbils), and Sativa (which is characterized by smooth-skinned large mature bulbils). Mine only had noticeable lenticels during early development, but they always matured smooth. Incidentally, TYATP explicitly stated that the bulbiferas from India and South East Asia were both tastier and way more productive than the African bulbiferas (the ones I prefer to call latifolia, to distinguish them). It kinda makes me wonder why the African types appear to be more common among those growing bulbiferas. Also, they had a table with data collected from a large collection of different bulbifera cultivars (now defunct, curtesy of the USDA, to which it belonged), and their Sativa accession (from India, like my own) far outproduced all other cultivars, even other Asian types. The only one that produced more bulbils was a New Caledonian type, which thoroughly underproduced the in-ground tuber (unlike Sativa, which was a good producer of tubers). I'll post screenshots of the relevant pages:

(https://s22.postimg.cc/m3yv4163h/image.png) (https://postimg.cc/image/m3yv4163h/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/6v8xq9k4t/image.png) (https://postimg.cc/image/6v8xq9k4t/)


Another fact I recently learned from these documents is that D. hamiltonii (which I'm now trying to germinate) is a close relative (and probable ancestor) of D. alata. I didn't expect that, given its tolerance for cooler conditions than alata. Then there's the fact that some types of D. rotundata can be cropped twice in one year, which is something I'd like to try myself. Relevant pages here:

(https://s22.postimg.cc/cxgkgqlfh/image.png) (https://postimg.cc/image/cxgkgqlfh/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/6wivjo6j1/image.png) (https://postimg.cc/image/6wivjo6j1/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/kdfu2jokd/image.png) (https://postimg.cc/image/kdfu2jokd/)

And

(https://s22.postimg.cc/cbrlktdkd/image.png) (https://postimg.cc/image/cbrlktdkd/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/70cp03z7h/image.png) (https://postimg.cc/image/70cp03z7h/)

I'm quoting and posting all these screenshots, and it hadn't occurred to me to post the original documents, so here they are, in full downloadable PDF glory: Tropical Yams And Their Potential, Parts 1 - 6:

1. D. esculenta (https://naldc-legacy.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=CAT87208469&content=PDF).

2. D. bulbifera (https://naldc-legacy.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=CAT87208471&content=PDF).

3. D. alata (https://naldc-legacy.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=CAT87208472&content=PDF).

4. D. rotundata & cayennensis (https://naldc-legacy.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=CAT87209454&content=PDF).

5. D. trifida (https://naldc-legacy.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=CAT87208470&content=PDF).

6. Minor Dioscorea Yams (https://naldc-legacy.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=CAT87209435&content=PDF).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: D-Grower on July 17, 2018, 08:50:20 AM
Very awesome man! Just let me know when you have anything ready to trade/sell. I'm down for any and all edible yam varieties. You've done the work I've planned to do for some time. I'm a survival gardening minded guy and seek to have many varieties in the event of who knows what. Yams are perfect for such application being that they need very little attention over time with potential to be heavy producers. Got other root veggies that may interest you whenever.

DG
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: mangaba on July 17, 2018, 06:03:12 PM
 I have some varieties of yam in my garden. Is there any manual/book describing the varieties which could help me to classify my varieties ?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 18, 2018, 12:23:27 AM
Very awesome man! Just let me know when you have anything ready to trade/sell. I'm down for any and all edible yam varieties. You've done the work I've planned to do for some time. I'm a survival gardening minded guy and seek to have many varieties in the event of who knows what. Yams are perfect for such application being that they need very little attention over time with potential to be heavy producers. Got other root veggies that may interest you whenever.

DG

Yams are productive and, as far as I'm concerned, the tastiest roots. I'm looking forward to the trade, it'll be the first time I make something available forum-wide. I hope I manage to get good material safely to everyone involved.


I have some varieties of yam in my garden. Is there any manual/book describing the varieties which could help me to classify my varieties ?

The book links I posted in my last post explain the anatomy of the varieties, but I'll sum up the information on the most prominent distinctions. When talking about leaves, I mean the leaves on the upper portion of mature vines. Leaves on the lowest portion, as well as on young vines, can sometimes develop in a different configuration (usually alternate on a vine that otherwise has paired leaves).

Vines that twist to the left (lower right to upper left: the "S" twist):
D. esculenta
D. bulbifera
D. trifida
D. pentaphylla
D. dumetorum

Vines that twist to the right (lower left to upper right: the "Z" twist):
D. rotundata & cayennensis
D. alata
D. nummularia
D. transversa
D. polystachya
D. japonica
D. hamiltonii

Paired Leaves:
D. rotundata & cayennensis
D. alata
D. nummularia
D. polystachya
D. japonica
D. hamiltonii

Alternate Leaves:
D. esculenta
D. bulbifera
D. trifida
D. transversa
D. pentaphylla
D. dumetorum

Pentaphylla leaves are divided into 5 leaflets, dumetorum into 3, the rest are singular. Trifida leaves are somewhat palmate, and other than the rounded leaflets of pentaphylla and dumetorum, the rest are heart-shaped (with varying ratios of length-breadth and varying degrees of rounded to angular corners).

Trifida, alata and hamiltonii stems have ridges/wings (which can be substituted by corresponding ridges of spines in some varieties of alata). Rotundata, cayennensis, esculenta, pentaphylla and dumetorum stems tend to be spined or prickly; the rest are smooth (though some species, like nummularia, can have prickles at the base). Bulbifera and nummularia have round stems, polystachya has a square stem. Dumetorum is highly pubescent/fuzzy.

Bulbifera has round bulbils (usually large, but tiny ones are also produced), polystachya and japonica bulbils can be round or oval, and are always small. Alata bulbils are ovoid to long & irregular, and are small to medium sized. Pentaphylla bulbils (allegedly not edible) are small to medium sized and horseshoe shaped, and dumetorum bulbils (probably toxic) are spiny. I'm not sure how transversa bulbils are, but only some varieties produce them. The rest don't usually produce bulbils. Bulbifera is a reliable producer of bulbils, whereas not all varieties of alata produce bulbils (and those that do aren't usually as productive as bulbifera).

Those are the main distinctions, but there's always variation among the species listed, never mind those that I didn't get to list, which should have further differences. Can you take closeup pictures of your vines? Leaves, lower and upper stems and how the stems curl? They might be easy to identify right here.

*

My Ube kept declining, so after examining the roots (which already had a new tuber forming, with the old tuber not fully deteriorated) I cut the vine to a stump (hoping for it to branch, or for a new one to form from the base) and replanted it in a small pot for observation. I accidentally knocked off the old tuber, and I'm really hoping I can get a second vine from it.

The first mystery yam bulbils have rotted away. Only two remain, and I think they'll rot soon enough. The second mystery yam (sold as D. pseudo-tomentosa) arrived in the mail, suspiciously packaged identically to the first mystery yam, despite being a separate Thai eBay seller. That said, while dry, they definitely seemed to be in much better condition, and even seemed to have some sprouts forming. I'm cautiously optimistic that I'll get them to grow without losing them. Here's some pics:

(https://s22.postimg.cc/adkiqw165/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/adkiqw165/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/owrnsczgt/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/owrnsczgt/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/qbt8h389p/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/qbt8h389p/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/8yiy27i3h/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/8yiy27i3h/)

The pentaphylla bulbils have yet to arrive, and I'm a little worried about the state they'll be in. I'm also waiting on an alata (which I bought thinking I'd get a dumetorum due to the photos used), a cayennensis, and some non-Dioscoreas: an Elephant-foot Yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius), some Ensete ventricosum seeds and Roy's Hogdsonia seeds. It's exiting to expect something in the mail every day, and a little nerve-wracking (you'll never know when it'll arrive and in what state it'll be in).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: D-Grower on July 18, 2018, 09:28:27 AM
There's a guy named David Goodman aka "the survival gardener" you can find online whom has many varieties of yam. Perhaps if you can talk with him he may have some unusual types. Definitely worth contacting him. Had some with palmate leaves and such he randomly found around the place he lives in street markets etc. All varieties grown by the natives of the area. Somewhere in the Caribbean or Central America.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 18, 2018, 11:26:45 PM
I commented on a video of his a few days ago, but I think I was a little late to the party. Perhaps I would've had better luck commenting on one of his blog posts, but I'm waiting for him to post something relevant; I don't wanna hijack a thread from another topic to talk about yams. Unless there's a way to message him directly?

I've been scouring the net looking for other growers of edible D. bulbifera (and other rare types), and messaging every one I can. So far, I haven't had much in the way of answers, but I'm hoping to find something sooner or later. The more bulbifera clones I have, the better the comparison I can make regarding productivity and quality, not to mention the breeding possibilities.

*

I found a source for D. hispida. I'm not getting it, but since I found it I might as well post it for any interested parties. They explicitly mention that it requires processing for toxicity, so there ya go: link here (https://www.etsy.com/listing/594882960/1-bub-dioscorea-hispida-rare-collcted?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=dioscorea&ref=sr_gallery-1-47).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: D-Grower on July 19, 2018, 09:49:48 AM
Should be able to get ahold of David's e-mail somewhere online. Probably his personal blog. I have emailed him directly in the distant past.

There's a guy in or near Orlando FL that has the edible bulbifera supposedly. Grower Jim is the name to look for. Sells on eBay but won't ship bulbifera to other within FL people.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 19, 2018, 06:29:41 PM
Pineislander is talking to Jim, so if there's material to be shared I expect he'll get it this year and be sending it out from next year's harvest. Though I wouldn't mind talking to Jim myself to see if he knows of additional sources for other varieties.

As for eBay, all the currently available bulbifera growers I've tried are selling theirs as medicinal, not edible, so there's nothing there.

I'm still waiting on a reply from YouTube's Plant Assasin, as well as a guy from India who blogged about seeing (and I think growing) three Asian cultivars (seemingly Suavior, judging from the prominent lenticels). I don't know if I'm expecting too much, considering the date of that post (2015), but I really hope he replies. Blog here (http://nandanvana.blogspot.com/2015/05/air-potato-dioscorea-bulbifera.html?m=1). I'm considering contacting the Agricultural University mentioned in the blog post, but I'm not exactly sure how I'd go about it... That said, their variety is an improved Suavior developed by them, so I'd consider it important. I think I'll contact them sooner or later, though I'm not sure they'd be willing to ship to a random overseas grower.

I found out today that Rare Palm Seeds is selling D. bulbifera as a new item. After some trial and error figuring out the proper extensions, I called their office in Germany and confirmed that it is an edible Asian type. I combined it with Chachafruto / Basul (Erythrina edulis) to meet the 30 euro minimum and placed an order. Page link here (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/pix/DioBul.shtml), ordering link here (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/small.shtml).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on July 20, 2018, 05:05:00 AM
Pineislander is talking to Jim, so if there's material to be shared I expect he'll get it this year and be sending it out from next year's harvest. Though I wouldn't mind talking to Jim myself to see if he knows of additional sources for other varieties.

As for eBay, all the currently available bulbifera growers I've tried are selling theirs as medicinal, not edible, so there's nothing there.

I'm still waiting on a reply from YouTube's Plant Assasin, as well as a guy from India who blogged about seeing (and I think growing) three Asian cultivars (seemingly Suavior, judging from the prominent lenticels). I don't know if I'm expecting too much, considering the date of that post (2015), but I really hope he replies. Blog here (http://nandanvana.blogspot.com/2015/05/air-potato-dioscorea-bulbifera.html?m=1). I'm considering contacting the Agricultural University mentioned in the blog post, but I'm not exactly sure how I'd go about it... That said, their variety is an improved Suavior developed by them, so I'd consider it important. I think I'll contact them sooner or later, though I'm not sure they'd be willing to ship to a random overseas grower.

I found out today that Rare Palm Seeds is selling D. bulbifera as a new item. After some trial and error figuring out the proper extensions, I called their office in Germany and confirmed that it is an edible Asian type. I combined it with Chachafruto / Basul (Erythrina edulis) to meet the 30 euro minimum and placed an order. Page link here (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/pix/DioBul.shtml), ordering link here (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/small.shtml).
WOW! That's great to know they have this two! Thank's!  ;D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on July 20, 2018, 06:42:32 AM
Pineislander is talking to Jim, so if there's material to be shared I expect he'll get it this year and be sending it out from next year's harvest. Though I wouldn't mind talking to Jim myself to see if he knows of additional sources for other varieties.

As for eBay, all the currently available bulbifera growers I've tried are selling theirs as medicinal, not edible, so there's nothing there.

I'm still waiting on a reply from YouTube's Plant Assasin, as well as a guy from India who blogged about seeing (and I think growing) three Asian cultivars (seemingly Suavior, judging from the prominent lenticels). I don't know if I'm expecting too much, considering the date of that post (2015), but I really hope he replies. Blog here (http://nandanvana.blogspot.com/2015/05/air-potato-dioscorea-bulbifera.html?m=1). I'm considering contacting the Agricultural University mentioned in the blog post, but I'm not exactly sure how I'd go about it... That said, their variety is an improved Suavior developed by them, so I'd consider it important. I think I'll contact them sooner or later, though I'm not sure they'd be willing to ship to a random overseas grower.

I found out today that Rare Palm Seeds is selling D. bulbifera as a new item. After some trial and error figuring out the proper extensions, I called their office in Germany and confirmed that it is an edible Asian type. I combined it with Chachafruto / Basul (Erythrina edulis) to meet the 30 euro minimum and placed an order. Page link here (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/pix/DioBul.shtml), ordering link here (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/small.shtml).

Finally I found it. I remember seeing this dioscorea long ago and put in my wish list but couldn't remember the name, thanks!
Is that price for 1 bulbil or 10? Because they say each packet is 10 seeds, but doesn't say how many bulbils, if same.

EDIT
Just noticed by searching the forum, that you were the one reviewing the plant. Why are you buying from another source?
Hoping for diversity?

EDIT 2
Where can I find one this huge and with this unusual shape? Is it another species?
The video from USA all have this squarish shape:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YuIQ9ivgsY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YuIQ9ivgsY)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 20, 2018, 12:30:25 PM
WOW! That's great to know they have this two! Thank's!  ;D

No problem, they have a lot of cool stuff there, I've been meaning to place an order for a long time. But first, the priorities.


Finally I found it. I remember seeing this dioscorea long ago and put in my wish list but couldn't remember the name, thanks!
Is that price for 1 bulbil or 10? Because they say each packet is 10 seeds, but doesn't say how many bulbils, if same.

EDIT
Just noticed by searching the forum, that you were the one reviewing the plant. Why are you buying from another source?
Hoping for diversity?

EDIT 2
Where can I find one this huge and with this unusual shape? Is it another species?
The video from USA all have this squarish shape:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YuIQ9ivgsY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YuIQ9ivgsY)

I think it was for 3 bulbils, probably 'cause they're not technically seeds.

Yes, diversity. There's a lot of variety in D. bulbifera (and in each of the other Dioscoreas). Because it's so rare over here, I've made it my mission to obtain as many edible accessions of Air Potato as I can. It shouldn't be so hard to find a good edible foodstuff like this one, especially one so productive, so I will do my part to make it more common and readily available.

The angled varieties are all of African descent. I call the African ones "D. latifolia" to distinguish them, but that's an old non-valid botanical name for them; they truly are D. bulbifera. According to the link I posted for TYATP, the Asian bulbiferas are superior in taste to the African types, and far exceed them in productivity as well. I still think the African ones are worthwhile, and am seeking them out; I haven't found any so far, though. Las Cañadas has them, but they don't ship outside of Mexico (if any forum member from Mexico is able and willing to obtain and ship them, pm me please).

Ironically, from what I can tell, the African bulbiferas are far more common in cultivation here in the west, yet they've been very hard for me to find. Meanwhile, the edible Asian types are almost unheard of here, yet I've been able to find one or two sources for them. There are several African types (each with multiple cultivars), but I can't really tell them apart... I think some have sharper angles than others. The edible Asian types fall into two main categories (also with multiple cultivars): Sativa and Suavior. If it were up to me, I'd get them all!
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on July 20, 2018, 01:12:05 PM

The angled varieties are all of African descent. I call the African ones "D. latifolia" to distinguish them, but that's an old non-valid botanical name for them; they truly are D. bulbifera. According to the link I posted for TYATP, the Asian bulbiferas are superior in taste to the African types, and far exceed them in productivity as well. I still think the African ones are worthwhile, and am seeking them out; I haven't found any so far, though. Las Cañadas has them, but they don't ship outside of Mexico (if any forum member from Mexico is able and willing to obtain and ship them, pm me please).


But are there asian varieties as big as the african? The african seem much bigger in all the pictures I saw.
I'd rather have something inferior that I can use easily that something superior but easily become a hassle because I have to peel many small tubers to have a reasonable meal.
I think that's also the main reason you see more in the west, we usually don't have much patience :D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 20, 2018, 01:53:45 PM
But are there asian varieties as big as the african? The african seem much bigger in all the pictures I saw.
I'd rather have something inferior that I can use easily that something superior but easily become a hassle because I have to peel many small tubers to have a reasonable meal.
I think that's also the main reason you see more in the west, we usually don't have much patience :D

It's variable on both counts. I think the largest of the large are African, but the Asian varieties I've seen are fairly decent sized, like a moderately-sized potato. I wouldn't think them a hassle to handle at all at such sizes (if you were thinking polystachya size, I can see how peeling would be a problem - though polystachya doesn't require it). The size difference is small enough, that I wouldn't consider it a factor when comparing the different types. I would think that the angles would make for a tougher peeling experience.

Yearling vines always put out small bulbils. Only from the second year onwards are they supposed to consistently produce the larger bulbils.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on July 20, 2018, 02:03:57 PM
Yearling vines always put out small bulbils. Only from the second year onwards are they supposed to consistently produce the larger bulbils.

This is a bad news. How cold hardy are these for the aerial part and for the ryzhome?
If the aerial part die every year it won't ever grow big aerial tubers?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 20, 2018, 02:23:59 PM
The aerial part dies back every year without fail, as an annual. The underground tuber is the perennial part. No idea how cold-hardy it is, though. If you're concerned about tuber survival, just dig up the tuber and re-plant it whole after the cold has passed. That's how I handled mine on first harvest (for other reasons), and they're doing fine, growing much more vigorously than last year.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on July 20, 2018, 03:04:59 PM
Another Dioscorea bulbifera and Dioscorea hispida source: https://aseanplantexport.com/Tubers%20-bulb-Rhizomes?product_id=65
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 20, 2018, 03:20:44 PM
Another Dioscorea bulbifera and Dioscorea hispida source: https://aseanplantexport.com/Tubers%20-bulb-Rhizomes?product_id=65

From the looks of things, that's a medicinal type, not an edible one. Like the ones on eBay. I wouldn't trust it. Bulbifera isn't like hispida or the other famine food yams... If you get a toxic type, processing it won't leach out the - very potent - toxins (that only works on the semi-toxic types, which shouldn't even be grown in my opinion, given the variety of bulbifera cultivars that lack that toxicity).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on July 20, 2018, 04:46:45 PM
Another Dioscorea bulbifera and Dioscorea hispida source: https://aseanplantexport.com/Tubers%20-bulb-Rhizomes?product_id=65

From the looks of things, that's a medicinal type, not an edible one. Like the ones on eBay. I wouldn't trust it. Bulbifera isn't like hispida or the other famine food yams... If you get a toxic type, processing it won't leach out the - very potent - toxins (that only works on the semi-toxic types, which shouldn't even be grown in my opinion, given the variety of bulbifera cultivars that lack that toxicity).
THANK'S!  ;D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on July 21, 2018, 05:32:16 PM
And there are two varieties of dioscorea bulbifera, yellow and purple. You can see it here:

  https://come-se.blogspot.com/2011/09/cara-moela-frito-dois-em-um.html
https://come-se.blogspot.com/2012/09/cara-moela-coluna-do-paladar-4.html
https://come-se.blogspot.com/2012/05/cara-moela-roxo-bem-apimentado.html

Yummy!!!   :P :P :P
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 21, 2018, 11:42:21 PM
And there are two varieties of dioscorea bulbifera, yellow and purple. You can see it here:

  https://come-se.blogspot.com/2011/09/cara-moela-frito-dois-em-um.html
https://come-se.blogspot.com/2012/09/cara-moela-coluna-do-paladar-4.html
https://come-se.blogspot.com/2012/05/cara-moela-roxo-bem-apimentado.html

Yummy!!!   :P :P :P

Interesting, I've seen purple Asian types, but I hadn't seen a purple African type before (though I had read about it). They seem to cook it with the skin, and in some cases even eat the skin. I had thought the skin was inedible.

*

Also, to clarify something said earlier, Grower Jim hasn't been contacted (just referenced), the contact is someone else. As for Jim, he doesn't seem to sell bulbifera on his site, but he might be worth trying.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on July 23, 2018, 11:52:21 AM
Well, my D. pentaphylla bulbils finally arrived in the mail and I am thoroughly satisfied. I'm obviously still concerned (it's not safe until I see some proper new growth), but they arrived very well packaged and in excellent condition, sprouted and alive! They still don't have leaves, but the very fuzzy stem (a characteristic of their subgenus) indicates that they are in-fact the real deal. I recommend this seller, they were helpful when contacted and they've sent a good product. They said that they don't eat the bulbils (no confirmation of toxicity), but that the tuber is eaten steamed.

One of the slips had fallen off the bulbil, and I accidentally knocked off a second one (with very little effort) but the third was intact. The two slips were treated with rooting hormone to give them an extra boost, and all three of them (plus the now-soft slipless bulbils) were temporarily planted in a tall-ish pot, completely covering the shoots with soil to allow them to acclimate to the local humidity. If bulbil production is low this season, I'll probably just propagate them, but if there's a surplus, I'll add it to my stock.

(https://s15.postimg.cc/n5cnc1rtj/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/n5cnc1rtj/)(https://s15.postimg.cc/qc76vq9pj/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/qc76vq9pj/)(https://s15.postimg.cc/ciiu6o9ef/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/ciiu6o9ef/)

*

In other news, the Elephant-foot Yam bulblets (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) arrived a couple of days ago, and I planted them in small pots to fully sprout them. I have been soaking the Ensete ventricosum seeds since Friday (changing the water mornings and evenings), and planted one yesterday; I'll keep soaking them until this Friday (following the example of another person who had success with them), planting out one seed per day in the meantime, to hedge my bets against the possibility of excessive soaking. And finally, my Ube is resprouting from the stump, so it looks like that was the way to go! Once it starts growing a little more vigorously again, I'll plant it back in the tote where I had it in the first place, next to the Florido yam.

The Ube:
(https://s15.postimg.cc/jzwmzsod3/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/jzwmzsod3/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on August 01, 2018, 04:37:00 AM
If you are looking for the African Dioscorea Bulbifera I found it from Stephward nursery :
https://www.stephward.co.za/ (https://www.stephward.co.za/)

You need to send him a whatsapp message, cause they are not on the website(mobile number is on the bottom).
I paid 31 usd for 5 small bulbils and 1 big sent in 2 packages. Sent in one package was around 20 usd, but the big one is going to attract more attention so I preferred to ship it separately.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Chupa King on August 01, 2018, 01:34:21 PM

(https://s15.postimg.cc/xks3tvhs7/20180728_111011.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/xks3tvhs7/)


Any idea what this could be? Bought it at a farmers market. White flesh. I was told maybe a Mountain yam but I havnt had them before. I can take more pictures when it grows full leaves.

Mahalo
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on August 02, 2018, 03:18:37 PM
If you are looking for the African Dioscorea Bulbifera I found it from Stephward nursery :
https://www.stephward.co.za/ (https://www.stephward.co.za/)

You need to send him a whatsapp message, cause they are not on the website(mobile number is on the bottom).
I paid 31 usd for 5 small bulbils and 1 big sent in 2 packages. Sent in one package was around 20 usd, but the big one is going to attract more attention so I preferred to ship it separately.

Thank you very much! I have contacted them and am in the process of placing an order.



(https://s15.postimg.cc/xks3tvhs7/20180728_111011.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/xks3tvhs7/)


Any idea what this could be? Bought it at a farmers market. White flesh. I was told maybe a Mountain yam but I havnt had them before. I can take more pictures when it grows full leaves.

Mahalo

Was the root large or rather small? I'm finding it hard to place with what I'm seeing, but I have a suspicion that it might be D. esculenta ("S" twist, prickly stem, alternating mature leaves, potato-like clusters of tubers at harvest). The prickles reminded me of my D. rotundata, but the leaves and stem look different. "Mountain Yam" should refer to the three temperate climate species (polystachya, japonica, hamiltonii), but common names aren't always trustworthy, and the anatomy in the photos contradicts all three of those. D. nummularia has a prickly base, but also paired mature leaves and a "Z" twist, so I'm not sure; the twist isn't visible in this photo, and the leaves are from the stem base, so their current configuration might not be reliable. For now, it might be an esculenta. By all means, keep the photos coming, I'm very intrigued.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on August 06, 2018, 12:11:24 PM
The African bulbiferas are on their way, and the Asian ones I got from "Rare Palm Seeds" arrived at my sister's house with the Erythrina edulis (I haven't seen them in person yet). 11 bulbils (and 11 Chachafruto seeds), but judging by the photos my sister sent, they don't look much like bulbiferas... The stems look a bit square and the appearance of the bulbils is a bit off. I'll be documenting everything, and if the anatomy corresponds with something else as it grows, I'll be letting the company know. I don't mind growing extra yams, but I'm already up to my neck in alatas, I don't really need more of those (even the purple Ube sprouted back nicely). I found a feral one growing out back from a bulbil (yellowish flesh, purple-tinged stems), and I stuck it in the Florido's tub. Which reminds me...

I finally found someone to help clear the back hillside! Progress is smooth, if a bit slow. When the work is finished, I'll be planting the area with everything I can find. Root crops, N-fixers, soil stabilizers, Plantains, Yams, Sweet Potatoes (which will help as a ground-cover), and of course, my long-suffering potted fruit trees. I have a few Calliandra calothyrsus seeds saved over from my stint in Utuado university, and I'll probably use them to stabilize a drop-off (caused by a machine fixing an electrical post). I'm thinking of getting some sterile Comfrey to help with the soil building, and I'll probably be using some of my Chachafruto trees for chop-n-drop. I'll be using the path left by the machine for a breeding experiment, which leads me to...

Potatoes! I've tried to grow the store-bought yellow potatoes for years, but even if I chit them, they always rot. I tried a red-skinned and a blue-skinned tuber a few weeks ago, and I finally have a healthy-growing plant in the Florido tub! I don't expect heavy yields, but I'll be satisfied if I get anything. Regarding the experiment, I posted about it in another forum, but I placed a request for several diploid potatoes (Skagit Valley Gold, DTO-2, DTO-28, RN27.01 and M6) to the US National Plant Germplasm System, and they're preparing the in-vitro plants to ship to me (plus some S. cardiophyllum & S. ehrenbergii seeds for good measure). I'll be using them to breed potatoes for the tropics (SVG is disease resistant and maybe heat tolerant, the DTO's are heat tolerant, the RN is purplish-red and super-high in antioxidants, and M6 is a toxic but self-fertile S. chacoense - and if I use it as the pollen parent, there should be no concern of cytoplasmic male sterility; the other two will be bred separately as another edible potato species, although I will be mixing some with the rest of my Phurejas).

Finally, my Hodgsonia macrocarpa seeds arrived, and I've planted them in their own tub (I'll give them their own post of they sprout), with the newly finished trellis! They'll be sharing that trellis with the D. polystachya (I found a survivor!), and possibly with the newer yams.

A gallery of all in question:

The back hillside in-progress:

(https://s22.postimg.cc/8qolpg13h/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/8qolpg13h/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/l5bdps0bh/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/l5bdps0bh/)


The Ube & the Chinese Yam (in that order):

(https://s22.postimg.cc/s8j95eswd/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/s8j95eswd/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/eeuwgbakt/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/eeuwgbakt/)


The RPS "¿Bulbiferas?" & Chachafruto (in that order):

(https://s22.postimg.cc/ud3m6bmrh/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/ud3m6bmrh/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/sy21hkyj1/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/sy21hkyj1/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/ooxbffq4t/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/ooxbffq4t/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/8dx7j4t2l/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/8dx7j4t2l/)


The Red Potato:

(https://s22.postimg.cc/5wlgc197x/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/5wlgc197x/)


The Hodgsonia macrocarpa seeds and their trellis:

(https://s22.postimg.cc/ip4yy0l3h/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/ip4yy0l3h/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/g7t7qrgml/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/g7t7qrgml/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/a5q6e5ugt/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/a5q6e5ugt/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/wufddqyzx/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/wufddqyzx/)(https://s22.postimg.cc/r692mvhst/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/r692mvhst/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on August 06, 2018, 01:15:22 PM

Potatoes! I've tried to grow the store-bought yellow potatoes for years.


Very strange, for me they sprout even from some small peel in the compost.
If you let the potato sit at room temperature without soil it will start to sprout by itself, they really need no care.

Where did you get your Hodgsonia? I have some seeds coming from Roy-Ind.

Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on August 06, 2018, 05:33:26 PM

Potatoes! I've tried to grow the store-bought yellow potatoes for years.


Very strange, for me they sprout even from some small peel in the compost.
If you let the potato sit at room temperature without soil it will start to sprout by itself, they really need no care.

Where did you get your Hodgsonia? I have some seeds coming from Roy-Ind.

Sprouting the potatoes has never been a problem for me, even the yellow ones. But regardless of whether I planted them sprouted or not, they would always end up rotting. I think it might be the heat. The red ones are said to grow better here anyway.

My Hodgsonia was from Roy as well. I hope to get at least one male and one female to flowering age, otherwise I'll neither be able to taste nor multiply them (the latter being more important than the former, for now).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: chirpis on August 08, 2018, 10:17:58 AM
Did my purple yam post start you down this road? :)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on August 08, 2018, 09:32:58 PM
Did my purple yam post start you down this road? :)

It was a catalyst. I had already decided on acquiring the Ube, and I was already reviewing my yam collection at the moment and looking over the literature, but your post reminded me, so I went to eBay in search of it. And that was all it took... First the Ube, then I went in search of the rest. So thank you!  ;)

I was also reviewing staple crops and have been checking out perennials in the permaculture literature, thus my emphasis on the Air Potato. And in one such article (link here (https://permaculturenews.org/2012/02/25/perennial-staple-crops-of-the-world/)), they also mentioned Mesquite as a highly productive perennial staple. Furthermore, in the comments of a separate article (link here (https://permaculturenews.org/2015/03/16/support-species-for-a-dryland-food-forest-a-practical-example/)), they mentioned Prosopis pallida, P. glandulosa, P. velutina, P. cineraria, and especially P. alba as being the most palatable species, with P. alba being sweeter, non-thorny, non-invasive, and being superior animal forage. Well wouldn't you know it, soon after reading this, I found Rare Palm Seeds was selling seeds of a superior selection of P. alba (link here (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/fruit_trees.shtml), description here (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/pix/ProCar.shtml)). I hope to be able to acquire seeds of it while they still have it in stock. I may have to make a separate thread for staples. I'm actually hoping to have a good set of crops to keep myself fed without depending on the supermarket (more like self-reliance than full-on survivalism). I feel the topic deserves to be explored. But for now, I'll focus on the yam collection. ;D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Chupa King on August 17, 2018, 05:23:57 PM
Planted it in a large hole and its taken off.


(https://s15.postimg.cc/4v92u9odj/20180817_084322.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/4v92u9odj/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on August 17, 2018, 06:11:15 PM
Planted it in a large hole and its taken off.


(https://s15.postimg.cc/4v92u9odj/20180817_084322.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/4v92u9odj/)


Very nice! It still seems a bit soon to tell, but it looks like they have alternate leaves and are twining with an "S" twist. That, coupled with the spines and the very rounded leaves suggest D. esculenta. If that is the case, you should expect a potato-like cluster of tubers at harvest. Keep it coming, let's see where this goes!
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on August 20, 2018, 04:38:44 PM
Well, I've got an important update, so listen up! The Dioscorea from RarePalmSeeds is mislabeled. From the looks of things, they just don't know any better. As a distributor, they count on their providers to give them the proper identification on the product listed (and let's face it: D. bulbifera is one of the most misidentified Dioscorea in commerce). Having grown them out for 15 days, it's clear that the yam they're selling is NOT D. bulbifera by any means. The anatomy most closely corresponds with D. alata... And I'm almost getting sick of that species. I've received it three times by mistake from different sources, not to mention the two domestic (and one feral) varieties I was already growing deliberately. I don't need any more of these! Please label your yams properly! I have asked for a refund... Time will tell if they'll acquiesce.

Pictures of the yam in question:

(https://s8.postimg.cc/f2bpykus1/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/f2bpykus1/)(https://s8.postimg.cc/kdqmja1f5/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/kdqmja1f5/)(https://s8.postimg.cc/b5ye2lhi9/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/b5ye2lhi9/)(https://s8.postimg.cc/n7trwqbb5/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/n7trwqbb5/)


The last surviving Pentaphylla yam (and seemingly accurate in its ID) has died. As the tuber was rotting away before the vine died, I don't expect it to resprout. I could order more from eBay, but I get the feeling they're all in a precarious sprouted state, so I will wait for next year, in the hopes of getting them earlier, prior to sprouting. I'll be trying the same vendor again, as they packaged it properly.

And finally, the Elephant-foot Yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) has sprouted! Not really a Dioscorea, but I'm keen on trying it out anyway. I got three pieces, and I had split one into two (and those are the ones sprouting). Photo here:

(https://s8.postimg.cc/unt1iibv5/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/unt1iibv5/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on August 20, 2018, 08:12:35 PM


The last surviving Pentaphylla yam (and seemingly accurate in its ID) has died. As the tuber was rotting away before the vine died, I don't expect it to resprout. I could order more from eBay, but I get the feeling they're all in a precarious sprouted state, so I will wait for next year, in the hopes of getting them earlier, prior to sprouting. I'll be trying the same vendor again, as they packaged it properly.


Where did you take yours? Mine from Ebay user goodmice also arrived rotten and the shipment was delivered in around 2 weeks, so not much.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on August 20, 2018, 08:33:47 PM
Mine was from goodmice, but they arrived in fair condition. Sprouted, but alive (though pale white). The tubers fell off from two of the three, but only one of the tubers was bad. Both tubers rotted away. The good tuber on the plant that kept it rotted away recently. I mishandled them: I thought they required acclimation to local humidity levels, so I buried them deeply. All that did was cut off their sunlight and prevent their growth past soil level. When I realized they wouldn't come up, only the one with the tuber remained, and i dug it up and buried it near the surface, with an exposed new sprout. The sprout ultimately failed to green up and grow. It's dead now.

Of the three D. pseudo-tomentosa, only one bore roots, the other two rotted. And this rooted one has failed to sprout past soil level, so I'm concerned as well. Last time I dug down to it about a week ago, it seemed to have living roots, so I left it alone again. Time will tell.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on August 21, 2018, 10:13:04 PM
The Elephant yam is called Suran in india and is available seasonally here in the USA from larger Indian grocery stores. My local grocer said he could order it for me but I would have to pay in advance.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on August 23, 2018, 01:16:28 PM
The Elephant yam is called Suran in india and is available seasonally here in the USA from larger Indian grocery stores. My local grocer said he could order it for me but I would have to pay in advance.

Really? I thought they weren't really sold commercially in the west.

They may be called yams, but given their family I suspect they're probably closer to Cocoyams in culinary qualities.

How long does it take from small size to a reasonable harvest?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on August 28, 2018, 07:25:29 PM
Really? I thought they weren't really sold commercially in the west.
They may be called yams, but given their family I suspect they're probably closer to Cocoyams in culinary qualities.
How long does it take from small size to a reasonable harvest?
Yes, the store owner said they did get shipped in from India.

here is a video of a crop in Australia:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC9uf6xAL1w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC9uf6xAL1w)

Complete rundown on cultivation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwA9xMrdhCk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwA9xMrdhCk)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on September 03, 2018, 06:37:22 PM
Interesting. I had thought that they required moist soil, but they seem to do fine under mesic conditions, maybe irrigation under drier conditions. I wonder if they'd be marketable here in Puerto Rico. We're big on yams, but new stuff can be a challenge to introduce to a reluctant populace, even if it seemingly is good.

Thanks for the vids! I look forward to tasting mine 9 months down the road. I certainly hope mine are decent, they were marketed as edible by the eBay seller (from Florida).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: BajaJohn on September 04, 2018, 09:08:36 AM
Wow - very informative posts and a lot of hard work you are doing - thanks.
I'm in Mexico and have bought from Las Cañadas. Unfortunately, it takes about 2 weeks for a purchase to reach me because I'm in a somewhat isolated region. Forwarding to you after that would be hard on any product. You could try to contact raulglezruiz who is in Puerto Vallarta and may get things a little faster. I wasn't too impressed with the Las Cañadas packaging either. Everything just wrapped in newspaper so all the plants had dried leaves and stems. I bought the only varieties they were selling - Camote Beauregard which they only sold as a plant and bulbils of what they call 'Papas Voladora' which came as dried up bulbils. Not sure if this is the one you want. If mine survives and you don't find it elsewhere, I can send you some when they are ready.
I've only just begun growing sweet potatoes/yams - until now all from store-bought produce. Some seem much more productive than other but that may be due to the different parts of the garden I planted them in. I'll be comparing them growing in the same area this year. I've also been impressed with the way the plants make good ground cover and spread if you don't put them on a trellis.
I'm a little nervous about those Papas Voladoras as they are considered an invasive plant in many regions. They sound like hard work to control.
Potatoes have been a challenge for me too. Again using store-bought potatoes for seed. This year I bought some of the Las Cañadas Papas Criollo to try. Previously my plants have been fairly large but produced few potatoes and didn't flower very much. Last year I got a reasonable crop but I'm not sure why. I planted them later than usual, in November/December when it is a bit cooler but my soil is also improving each year from the original wasteland it was. Then of course there is the question of variety. I haven't yet figured out how to preserve the potential seed for the next year so don't have any to plant this year.
Here is a 'groundcover' sweet potato I just cleaned up to prepare for this year's planting.

(https://s15.postimg.cc/yj8u4ccqv/IMG_20180901_1200043_rewind.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/yj8u4ccqv/)

(https://s15.postimg.cc/yw08ahsfr/IMG_20180901_1354235_rewind.3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/yw08ahsfr/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on September 06, 2018, 12:26:02 AM
Papa Voladora, that's the one! An African bulbifera, and different than the one I'm getting from South Africa (which is rounder; the one in Las Cañadas seems flatter, maybe more angular). I'm looking to get every edible strain of this species that I can find. Keep me posted on yours, I'm looking forward to seeing how they grow.

As for invasiveness, I don't think there's much cause for concern. The edible types aren't supposed to be as weedy or as vigorous as the toxic types. While I can confirm that all the little bulbils that fell off my vine sprouted where they landed, they were easy to find and pluck or mow down, and none re-sprouted; no survivors.


I'm hoping to capitalize on the ground-covering skills of the sweet potatoes myself, to keep the weeds down. I gotta finish getting rid of the Guinea grass, but after that I'm getting my slips started. I actually found a YouTube video where the guy gets them growing from small pieces of peel! Kitchen scraps! I knew you could grow some Dioscoreas that way, but I never figured it'd work for sweet potatoes. Link here (https://youtu.be/OvyzrmbUAUc).

Papa Criolla sound like a Phureja type, they should be able to take the heat better. Store-bought potatoes don't tuberize well above 85 F, if I remember correctly. Mine already started tuberizing (I had to pile on more soil), but I don't expect much, the summer heat's not quite gone. I haven't sown the Cimatli seeds yet, and the in-vitro clones were a disaster. A few survivors from two varieties, and I don't expect them to last much longer. Like potato seedlings, they all succumbed to damping off. I'm not sure when I'll try again, but I already have ideas to offset the effects of humidity (if the rain lets me; the air was humid even under the roof).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on September 12, 2018, 05:31:55 AM
My african bulbifera arrived in super healthy condition. Buy with confidence from Stephen.
(https://s22.postimg.cc/q30usx7n1/aftrican_bulbifera.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/q30usx7n1/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on September 12, 2018, 07:39:01 AM
Is this bump a shoot or a root? I put it downside but I'm worried it could be a shoot.
(https://s22.postimg.cc/aj7pqvnpp/20180912_133503.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/aj7pqvnpp/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Chupa King on September 12, 2018, 11:36:42 PM
Its a shoot! It may be okay if you leave it that way, but I would gently remove it and replant it face up.

Very awesome! I just recently found what I think is a mountain yam. I will post some pictures once it grows a little more.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on September 13, 2018, 01:31:44 AM
Its a shoot! It may be okay if you leave it that way, but I would gently remove it and replant it face up.

Very awesome! I just recently found what I think is a mountain yam. I will post some pictures once it grows a little more.
Thanks, I reoriented all the one that sprouted.

What's a mountain yam? scientific name?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: fyliu on September 13, 2018, 12:40:22 PM
What's a mountain yam? scientific name?
I think it's a common name that could represent 1 or more species. Japanese call their long white yam yamaimo (yama=mountain, imo=yam). I'm not sure if other cultures use the same common name for their native yam as well.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on September 18, 2018, 07:18:59 PM
We might be able to identify the mountain yam from pictures, but that common name is very generic, so if it turns out to have an alternative, we should use it.

*

I’m going to have to try again with a few of them next year. My pentaphylla and pseudo-tomentosa died off, the hamiltonii failed to sprout, and I didn’t reach the business in time to acquire the japonica bulbils. On the bright side, the Ube, the yellow cayennensis and the polystachya are doing just fine. What’s more, the crop on the Indian bulbifera is just starting to take off; more on that in its own thread (http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=26151.0).

My African bulbifera’s arrived sprouted and in excellent condition. I buried them in a small pot for the moment; tomorrow I’ll get another tub ready and place it by the new trellis.

Here’s mine:

(https://i.postimg.cc/ppWRtvJs/FA57_D4_CC-_FF00-4298-9847-553_C17_E3286_A.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ppWRtvJs) (https://i.postimg.cc/LYFFQFsB/510_DBACB-847_E-404_B-_B769-_D61_BD7647_E69.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LYFFQFsB) (https://i.postimg.cc/jw60G3wV/DAE8_D14_F-_C98_C-444_B-87_CC-_C023_A31362_C6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jw60G3wV)

***

Edit: I forgot to mention: the trifida doesn’t play well with others. All the other species are competing for space and growing vigorously (though I’m sure yields will suffer). Meanwhile, the trifidas are failing to put on extensive vine growth, and I don’t expect a good harvest. For anyone growing trifidas out there, give them their space, don’t crowd them.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on September 23, 2018, 03:32:50 PM
Please see my Air Potato post here (http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=96153257b311735cdb9c9ad54a7fd3b3&topic=26151.0) for an important announcement. This concerns you too, 00christian00
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: BajaJohn on September 28, 2018, 11:50:52 PM
The Papas Voldoras from Las Canada's seem to have taken off. Some of the shoots are already about 6 feet long. The Beauregard didn't make it.
(https://i.postimg.cc/SXchCv1k/IMG_20180928_1744187_rewind.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/SXchCv1k)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on September 29, 2018, 10:16:30 PM
The Papas Voldoras from Las Canada's seem to have taken off. Some of the shoots are already about 6 feet long. The Beauregard didn't make it.

The Beauregard didn't handle the shipping stress well? How were they packaged? A root might have made the trip in better condition, but I guess they keep the roots as crops and just sell rooted cuttings.

It's great to hear the air potatoes are doing well for you. I think you may be the first person in the forum with that particular cultivar. But "papa voladora" is a pretty generic name, it's just air potato (or "flying potato"), so I think it's safe to assume that this clone is nameless. What would you name it?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on October 01, 2018, 06:06:34 AM


Edit: I forgot to mention: the trifida doesn’t play well with others. All the other species are competing for space and growing vigorously (though I’m sure yields will suffer). Meanwhile, the trifidas are failing to put on extensive vine growth, and I don’t expect a good harvest. For anyone growing trifidas out there, give them their space, don’t crowd them.
My Trifida is also the least vigorous of my varieties. These were from grocery store-bought roots and may have been deteriorated in shipping so my home-grown roots may do better next season.

Also, the purple ube Alata yam I am growing had begun to climb on some other nearby trees and some vines were on the ground.
As I trimmed them back I noticed that vines touching the ground had begun to root at the nodes. This looks like it might be another way of propagation by air layering. So, if you'd like to try I'd suggest using sphagnum moss, coconut fiber, or similar media well moistened and wrapped with aluminum foil at nodes to get new plants.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on October 17, 2018, 07:57:57 PM
I'm gonna try that with my Ube, to focus on sending the bulbils to other growers. In fact, I won't be harvesting the tuber for at least a few years. I wanna make the vine grow strong and vigorous, to ramp up its bulbil production.

*

I have saturated myself with projects. The yams are all fine, but my second attempt at in-vitro potatoes for breeding was a disaster, and I didn't get to collect raspberry pollen for my hybrid experiment with the strawberry.

Here are the two surviving in-vitro potatoes, Skagit Valley Gold and Unica. I got the Unica as a tetraploid for reference, the rest were meant to be diploid, but I asked for a lot of tetraploids by mistake. They can be bred together, but them I'd have to rogue out triploids. They're sharing the tub with a pair of DTO varieties and a red phureja. I had poor luck with in-vitros, but I also asked for diploid seed and I expect to have better luck with seedlings, so the project isn't scrapped. The particular seeds are better adapted to my conditions anyway, compared to the in-vitro diploids, so that was a nice surprise.

(https://i.postimg.cc/SJ3L1z3K/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/SJ3L1z3K) (https://i.postimg.cc/kDjv8HyK/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kDjv8HyK) (https://i.postimg.cc/JHtJP1QJ/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/JHtJP1QJ)


But anyway, back to the yams. Here we have the base of the pvc trellis, showing everything I got growing around it. In the ground is a Barbados Gooseberry, then one bucket with the Ube one with the Nagaimo Yam, and then the two tubs, one with a struggling set of Hodgsonia + Jarilla, the other with the Sena Air Potato (reposted pic from the other thread). With said air potato are Recao, Mauka, Bambara Groundnut and a recently-planted Striped Peanut (not pictured).

(https://i.postimg.cc/8j0w8YJN/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8j0w8YJN) (https://i.postimg.cc/qNNbzrVN/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qNNbzrVN) (https://i.postimg.cc/DmcYN5Pw/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/DmcYN5Pw) (https://i.postimg.cc/Hcz46v1G/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Hcz46v1G) (https://i.postimg.cc/qNKsPvHx/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qNKsPvHx)


Here's one of the Nagaimo Yams (D. polystachya) which I've since placed in the bucket with the rest. This one took a long time to come up from the roots. In fact, the Nagaimos are always the last to sprout in my yard, it's frustrating.

(https://i.postimg.cc/34TnSDyG/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/34TnSDyG)


Some more recent pics of the Ube (note the stem looks slightly less red by now). I twined the Nagaimo over it, so it's a mess of leaves from both species, but the big Ube stem is easy to make out.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Wh3SHV45/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Wh3SHV45) (https://i.postimg.cc/LhvND5mq/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LhvND5mq)


The Ube and the Air Potato twining around the trellis:

(https://i.postimg.cc/Y4f1SD94/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Y4f1SD94)


A leaf from the Yellow Guinea Yam that's growing on the bamboo trellis. This may be the prettiest yam I've yet grown (I don't have D. dodecaneura yet). It's dark green and tender-looking & glossy in leaf and stem. I hope it tastes as good as it looks.

(https://i.postimg.cc/PLkWTnts/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PLkWTnts)


The remaining pair of Mauka plants. I need to find a good place to plant them.

(https://i.postimg.cc/vxm7k7G4/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vxm7k7G4)


And finally, group photo: Elephant-foot Yams, Ensete ventricosum, Cerrado Cashew, rooted Florida Pistachio cuttings, and a Cyclophyllum coprosmoides (I have another in the ground).

(https://i.postimg.cc/3kzLGqYn/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/3kzLGqYn)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 03, 2018, 06:55:55 PM
I'm selling some air potatoes now, with a few other things, in the vegetable buy/sell/trade section. Link here: http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=30268.0 (http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=30268.0)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 14, 2018, 05:20:39 PM
I ordered a Dioscorea dodecaneura/discolor from this place: link (https://almostedenplants.com/shopping/products/3128-variegated-monkey-ball-vine-ornamental-yam-variegated-potato-vine/). It'll be shipped next week, and I suspect it'll arrive before week's end.

Also trying again with D. pentaphylla, same vendor. Before buying, I asked the vendor about the harvest season and if they had fresh bulbils. They did, and they arrived in great shape! This time next year, I'll have Pentaphylla bulbils for distribution. As for dodecaneura, I'll have to figure out how to propagate it... Maybe layering?

Pentaphylla pics:

(https://i.postimg.cc/GB8DFmN9/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GB8DFmN9) (https://i.postimg.cc/hQg7RbG7/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hQg7RbG7)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on November 15, 2018, 05:09:17 AM
I ordered a Dioscorea dodecaneura/discolor from this place: link (https://almostedenplants.com/shopping/products/3128-variegated-monkey-ball-vine-ornamental-yam-variegated-potato-vine/). It'll be shipped next week, and I suspect it'll arrive before week's end.

Also trying again with D. pentaphylla, same vendor. Before buying, I asked the vendor about the harvest season and if they had fresh bulbils. They did, and they arrived in great shape! This time next year, I'll have Pentaphylla bulbils for distribution. As for dodecaneura, I'll have to figure out how to propagate it... Maybe layering?

Pentaphylla pics:

(https://i.postimg.cc/GB8DFmN9/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GB8DFmN9) (https://i.postimg.cc/hQg7RbG7/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hQg7RbG7)
This ones are edible? I never saw them...  ;D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on November 15, 2018, 06:18:27 AM
And here are the two dioscorea bulbifera bulbs that i got from Cesar. They are big... 250g each and will be planted next spring!  ;D


(https://i.postimg.cc/5Q2tNQJH/IMG-20181115-091504-resized-20181115-104508487.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5Q2tNQJH)


(https://i.postimg.cc/nXyYjpCV/IMG-20181115-091343-resized-20181115-104547998.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nXyYjpCV)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on November 15, 2018, 07:05:05 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aeUxNkmJwQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aeUxNkmJwQ)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 15, 2018, 08:28:20 AM
I ordered a Dioscorea dodecaneura/discolor from this place: link (https://almostedenplants.com/shopping/products/3128-variegated-monkey-ball-vine-ornamental-yam-variegated-potato-vine/). It'll be shipped next week, and I suspect it'll arrive before week's end.

Also trying again with D. pentaphylla, same vendor. Before buying, I asked the vendor about the harvest season and if they had fresh bulbils. They did, and they arrived in great shape! This time next year, I'll have Pentaphylla bulbils for distribution. As for dodecaneura, I'll have to figure out how to propagate it... Maybe layering?

Pentaphylla pics:

(https://i.postimg.cc/GB8DFmN9/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GB8DFmN9) (https://i.postimg.cc/hQg7RbG7/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hQg7RbG7)
This ones are edible? I never saw them...  ;D

The Five-leaf Yam has edible and poisonous varieties. This one is being sold as edible, and the vendor eats them steamed. She also said she doesn't eat the bulbils, but couldn't explicitly confirm if they were toxic or merely ignored by the people. I'd like to cook a bulbil sample when they start producing and send it to a laboratory for analysis, but I haven't found a local lab yet that could analyze it.


And here are the two dioscorea bulbifera bulbs that i got from Cesar. They are big... 250g each and will be planted next spring!  ;D

(https://i.postimg.cc/5Q2tNQJH/IMG-20181115-091504-resized-20181115-104508487.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5Q2tNQJH) (https://i.postimg.cc/nXyYjpCV/IMG-20181115-091343-resized-20181115-104547998.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nXyYjpCV)

I'm glad they arrived in good condition! I was a bit worried, this was my first time shipping international. But it looks like they had no trouble.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aeUxNkmJwQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aeUxNkmJwQ)

In the audio and text description it sounds like they're referring to several different species. The species shown looks like an alata. Interesting how different species are used in different ways depending on where you are.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 24, 2018, 01:16:28 PM
I harvested a prematurely senescent Chinese Yam last week (I had accidentally lopped off the growing tip early in the season). The root remained small because it didn't get a good chance to grow. I hadn't planned on eating it, but my mother wanted to try it, so we cooked it up. It was good! Very mild, like an excellent D. alata.

(https://i.postimg.cc/XB5KwQ18/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XB5KwQ18) (https://i.postimg.cc/VdyWYP5H/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/VdyWYP5H) (https://i.postimg.cc/gnvqjtZc/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gnvqjtZc) (https://i.postimg.cc/bZp0t0xx/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bZp0t0xx)

I left three other D. polystachya vines growing in the pail, with a pair of Apios americana... Too many plants, not enough space (I never learn, do I?). I separated another pair into a small pot to figure out what to do with them later.

I also discovered that air potatoes are best eaten freshly-plucked, more on that on the Air Potato thread.

I'm still waiting on the D. pentaphylla to sprout, but I hadn't planted them immediately, they've only been in the ground for a week. They probably still have dormancy.

My D. dodecaneura arrived safe and sound, and I managed to separate out 7 plants and 10 tubers (2 small, 8 tiny). They were thoroughly pot-bound but healthy, and I noticed what seemed to be stolons from which the different plants and tubers sprouted. I've never seen a yam vine produce offsets by stolons so I find this highly curious. I'll report more on this detail next growing season.

(https://i.postimg.cc/gXC8k3c6/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gXC8k3c6)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on November 27, 2018, 06:39:20 PM


Also trying again with D. pentaphylla, same vendor. Before buying, I asked the vendor about the harvest season and if they had fresh bulbils. They did, and they arrived in great shape! This time next year, I'll have Pentaphylla bulbils for distribution. As for dodecaneura, I'll have to figure out how to propagate it... Maybe layering?

Pentaphylla pics:

(https://i.postimg.cc/GB8DFmN9/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GB8DFmN9) (https://i.postimg.cc/hQg7RbG7/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hQg7RbG7)

On a Facebook group I belong to a friend showed his pentaphylla:

(https://i.postimg.cc/64dYhrPv/dioscorea-pentaphylla.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/64dYhrPv)

Caesar check your PM, Ube bulbils are ready.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 27, 2018, 09:24:11 PM
On a Facebook group I belong to a friend showed his pentaphylla:

(https://i.postimg.cc/64dYhrPv/dioscorea-pentaphylla.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/64dYhrPv)

Caesar check your PM, Ube bulbils are ready.

Pm sent.

They look just like mine. I wonder if it's the same strain. Where did they source theirs? Mine was from a Thai eBay vendor called "goodmice".

Does your friend eat the bulbils? Goodmice wouldn't say either way if they were poisonous or not, just that they didn't eat them.

That they are not eaten doesn't automatically mean they're poisonous. But at the same time, the tuber being edible doesn't mean the bulbils are too (with several poisonous yams, the tuber is less toxic and can be made edible, but the bulbils stay toxic). And D. pentaphylla is one of those species that has edible and toxic types, closely related to D. dumetorum and D. hispida. Steaming is a pretty mild way to cook, and Goodmice told me they eat it steamed, so I suspect mine is a rather toxin-free strain, but I'm still reluctant to try the bulbils. I want to cook a sample at harvest time and have it Lab tested, but I've no local labs able to test it, that I'm aware of.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on November 29, 2018, 08:10:23 AM
Yes, he is eating the pentaphyllum and other member does too. I don't know the sources they used. If you or anyone uses Facebook the group page is here:
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 29, 2018, 04:04:52 PM
Yes, he is eating the pentaphyllum and other member does too. I don't know the sources they used. If you or anyone uses Facebook the group page is here:

The bulbils too? Or just the tuber?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on November 30, 2018, 07:06:12 AM
I will ask the folks about eating quality.
Sorry I forgot the Facebook link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/495305670949220/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/495305670949220/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on November 30, 2018, 06:03:51 PM
I will ask the folks about eating quality.

Quote
Delicious. Very potato-like. (starchy, mealy). No bitterness. I got mine from Taylor Nelson, who I believe got it from Uncle Chan on ebay. I would say it is just as delicious as the good cultivars of bulbifera, but it doesn't make anywhere near as large of bulbils. Luckily the skin peels off really easy after cooking so you don't need to pre-peel the smaller bulbils. Do you not have the air potato beetle where you live? That was the only drawback of bulbifera. We all got the good cultivars about a year before they released the beetles all over FL. I've pretty much given up on bulbifera, although I do get a few plants that randomly come up from time to time.

Also, I finished harvesting the vine (which went totally dormant) and got maybe 3/4 more harvest as what you see in the first harvest picture. Not bad for one plant.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 30, 2018, 06:37:19 PM
Then the bulbils are edible, good! I'll be eating some bulbils from my vines in small quantities until I'm sure about them, but I really doubt mine is toxic.

And it's a shame about what happened to their bulbiferas. Was there no concoction they could've used against the beetles on their vines?

What were the cultivars of bulbifera that they were growing? And were they African types or Asian types?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on December 18, 2018, 07:54:15 AM
The wild inedible D. bulbifera has gone wild/invasive here and the State introduced a beetle to do some control of it. That probably has slowed it down but it still remains.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLagUwn0nY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLagUwn0nY)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on March 17, 2019, 12:44:43 PM
I’ll be inspecting every yam I receive, to insure I don’t release any beetles here. If they have any holes, I’ll inspect them carefully to kill any pests that may be inside.

My pentaphylla bulbils are sprouting, and they’re looking fuzzy, as it should be.

The growth of the dodecaneura is in full swing! I haven’t trellised them with the other yams yet (in fact I have to make a new one, the termites ate the old trellis), but it’s looking very nice and ornamental! The original package came with so many vines and roots in a single pot, I’ll be able to taste one at the end of this season, even if it’s a small one.

I finally harvested my Ube! Sold to me as Dark Night St. Vincent, it was mostly white inside, with some limited pigmentation (the skin was all purple though). Either I was given the wrong variety, or, more likely, it was affected by the heat in its paint bucket container (heat inhibits anthocyanin production) and by its shorter growing season (the vine died off at the tip on arrival and I had to prune it back, plus the extra time spent in a very small container).

And the first of my African bulbiferas (Sena) is finally entering production! All the bulbils on the healthy vines are still small, but the seemingly virus-infected one (which I will eat rather than propagate) is already growing larger. Because they’re all growing in the same container, I will be growing them next season from new healthy bulbils, to minimize the risk of viral transmission (I won’t retain any of the original underground tubers).

I’m waiting for my second African bulbifera to sprout (seemingly “Hawaii”, judging from its origins and physical features), as well as a second Indian variety (the dense presence of prominent lenticels suggests Suavior, but it was given as a Sativa, so that’s how I’ll label it for now). I’m also sprouting an esculenta, and am waiting for D. japonica bulbils in the mail.

In other tuber-related news, the Australian Bush Potato (Ipomoea costata) has tuberized, though the vine is still small. The Oca, Ulluco and Mashua have started growing, and I had to prune back the Mauka, whose foliage was a bit beaten up by the heat (I’m now growing it in shade). And the one remaining trellis is now a mess of vines, with Sena Air Potato, Yellow Guinea Yam, Hopniss, Madeira Vine, Hodgsonia and Conophor Nut all growing in the same spot. I plan on adding Winged Bean to the milieu soon (Baker Creek Seeds has a day-neutral variety that starts bearing quickly).

Pics!

The pentaphylla:

(https://i.postimg.cc/BtFWkk3L/733-CF656-8-C79-453-C-BEC7-99-A64-EF8-A298.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/BtFWkk3L)


The dodecaneura:

(https://i.postimg.cc/Pvs7dfHL/C9189983-56-E1-4-FB5-A334-B3-AA5-A54419-D.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Pvs7dfHL)


The Ube:

(https://i.postimg.cc/FkHTrYqH/1-D194-CBF-4-FDB-4-A55-8398-D7-E2-A5-C746-D2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/FkHTrYqH) (https://i.postimg.cc/GBnzB7NN/ABC90158-520-E-41-E6-BABD-A5874-A7-C829-B.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GBnzB7NN) (https://i.postimg.cc/bG0g10fv/E94926-B6-FC2-E-4-F0-D-8435-24040-C8-E3274.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bG0g10fv)


Sena (from the infected vine):

(https://i.postimg.cc/KRn1G0P4/E71-DE703-2671-42-B9-A6-F0-B86-B15-F97-DA5.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/KRn1G0P4)


Oca, Ulluco, Mashua, and Mauka Cuttings:

(https://i.postimg.cc/qzbvMWtJ/9124-FE36-72-D5-4564-8-CFB-30-A9617-E9-D8-E.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qzbvMWtJ) (https://i.postimg.cc/K3jC9pmf/B0-ADC62-B-6219-4-C5-F-B118-6-FA0745-F58-B4.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/K3jC9pmf) (https://i.postimg.cc/N9pWkvvL/6-B5-ECDA2-84-AA-4-AE0-835-C-287861-F613-B6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/N9pWkvvL) (https://i.postimg.cc/qz9WLGSc/B221-CF52-84-AF-4-BDA-B633-60050248741-F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qz9WLGSc)


Conophor & Hodgsonia:

(https://i.postimg.cc/qhxK706b/62336-EF1-F3-B1-4-EFB-A39-C-75-ABE0-FFA7-DC.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qhxK706b) (https://i.postimg.cc/qgQnVJTg/CE290-E75-24-ED-490-F-86-A6-B7672-CC4-F637.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qgQnVJTg)


Tangle: Anredera, Sena & Hodgsonia

(https://i.postimg.cc/dh9cnxdM/4524000-D-3-C54-4772-8649-F034503-E00-A0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dh9cnxdM)


Bush Potato, Tuberous Vetch & Talet:

(https://i.postimg.cc/RNMkhTyX/3-A9-CDA6-E-8431-4-C3-B-B093-9-D128-C6-DCCE5.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/RNMkhTyX)(https://i.postimg.cc/PNfy8Ffp/50-A5-CE3-F-48-A5-469-C-B25-C-1-DC94-E463-F91.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PNfy8Ffp)(https://i.postimg.cc/TKbJXz0S/3427-C026-5-BFE-4-E7-C-8522-D9-A2-C7-FCEA98.jpg)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: 00christian00 on March 17, 2019, 02:28:11 PM

And the first of my African bulbiferas (Sena) is finally entering production! All the bulbils on the healthy vines are still small, but the seemingly virus-infected one (which I will eat rather than propagate) is already growing larger. Because they’re all growing in the same container, I will be growing them next season from new healthy bulbils, to minimize the risk of viral transmission (I won’t retain any of the original underground tubers).
What are the signs of the virus? And if it's a virus shouldn't all have it? Do you think the bulbils came from different vines?

Strange, I got the pentaphylla later than you but mine are already quite large.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on March 17, 2019, 02:52:53 PM
What are the signs of the virus? And if it's a virus shouldn't all have it? Do you think the bulbils came from different vines?

Strange, I got the pentaphylla later than you but mine are already quite large.

Interesting... perhaps my pentaphylla didn’t like the way I treated it. Initially, I stuffed all 3 bulbils in close quarters in a single pot. Then I separated them, but stuffed them into the small party cups.

I don’t know with full certainty that it is a virus, but I find it very strange that the one vine has most (possibly all) of its leaves curled up. I hope I’m wrong, but it sounds like a virus to me. Pure speculation anyway. That was my impression, that the bulbils came from several vines.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on April 19, 2019, 03:53:18 PM
My pentaphylla has been actively growing and lengthening for several weeks now, and I have planted the bulbil from the seemingly sick Sena vine, hoping it won't inherit what the mother vine has... If it does, I will cull it. Another Sena vine has already dried up without bearing, and the others show no bulbils at all, save for a tiny one from a healthy vine, which I've already plucked and planted, my last hope at a healthy vine (unless a tuber resprouts healthily soon).

The new bulbiferas have all sprouted, with the bumpy one from India taking things slow, and "Hawaii" speeding up, overtaking the pentaphylla. I also have 5 D. japonica well-sprouted, and a couple of D. esculenta just beginning to sprout. Several D. dodecaneura vines are growing between two pots, but they look like they've seen better days (probably because they weren't able to climb in time and had their tips die off before I transplanted them).

The polystachya, while clinging to survival with an iron fist and multiplying like crazy (from the occasional bulbil and many root pieces), has failed to thrive. It hasn't produced a decently sized root for me yet, and very few of my vines have lengthened enough to climb properly and bear bulbils (and these didn't grow that far). Perhaps it prefers temperate climates, but I hope I can get them to grow well enough in the coming seasons so I can get a decent harvest.

I've taken stock of my alatas, and currently have 6 varieties. 2 purples (one sold to me as Dark Night St. Vincent, one from Pineislander in Florida), 2 "domestic" bulbil bearers (one from Pineislander, and one sold to me as a bulbifera by Rare Palm Seeds - they did not answer when contacted regarding the discrepancy), a feral bulbil bearer from my back hillside (I call it "ñame de monte", hill yam) and the domestic Florido, obtained from local markets.

And finally, I've one D. rotundata, and one cayennensis which grew from the roots again after failing to develop a tuber last season.

The season is starting to pick up! Hopefully I'll have a better harvest than last year (which was itself decent).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on April 25, 2019, 10:54:35 AM
Grat images of dioscorea bulbifera: https://www.imgrumweb.com/hashtag/DioscoreaBulbifera/QVFDN3B2OFBrUFd5R0J5UFJ4QWhERGdicl9YY0lNZDRuZWFvOWxPZ0JGYkhCdlFOc2VlRm9OaFpjamxBajAwaE5FR0R6RkM0UWd6eElpa0VvTmJrSFVHTg== (https://www.imgrumweb.com/hashtag/DioscoreaBulbifera/QVFDN3B2OFBrUFd5R0J5UFJ4QWhERGdicl9YY0lNZDRuZWFvOWxPZ0JGYkhCdlFOc2VlRm9OaFpjamxBajAwaE5FR0R6RkM0UWd6eElpa0VvTmJrSFVHTg==)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on April 26, 2019, 04:40:38 PM
Great gallery! The ones from Haiti looks Asian. And as suspected, it seems African cultivars are more common, especially "Hawaii". We gotta get more people growing these. They're good food.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: All the fruit on May 10, 2019, 09:40:16 AM
😂😂😂i still remember how i poisoned myself with raw Dioscorea bulbifera when i was 8. I really wanted to know what those "fruit" on the vine tasted like.😂😂😂
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on May 10, 2019, 01:30:24 PM
😂😂😂i still remember how i poisoned myself with raw Dioscorea bulbifera when i was 8. I really wanted to know what those "fruit" on the vine tasted like.😂😂😂
Really? It was very bad?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: All the fruit on May 10, 2019, 03:05:57 PM
I remember lying on a bench ner the Botanic garden and puking. Guess after 15 min or so i was ok.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on May 10, 2019, 03:43:59 PM
I remember lying on a bench ner the Botanic garden and puking. Guess after 15 min or so i was ok.
Good to know you get ok!  ;D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: All the fruit on May 13, 2019, 04:20:11 AM
 ;D thanks
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on May 22, 2019, 01:21:35 PM
😂😂😂i still remember how i poisoned myself with raw Dioscorea bulbifera when i was 8. I really wanted to know what those "fruit" on the vine tasted like.😂😂😂

That could've been a very dangerous experience, I'm glad you're okay. As kids, we'd taste anything without giving it a second thought. As long as we live to tell the tale, I consider it a lesson learned.  ;)

You travel a lot through Southeast Asia, they should have a lot of edible varieties there. Avoid the wild ones, ask the natives for the ones they eat, peel 'em, boil 'em up, season them and try them on video; I'd love to see more vids on edible air potatoes. And if you could bring back a few, I'm always looking for more varieties.  ;D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on May 27, 2019, 07:22:18 AM
My yam berries (Dioscorea polystachya) are sprouting... the first yam to sprout!  ;D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on May 28, 2019, 07:39:56 AM
Some info about yam berries...

Tiny Mukago Potatoes
 
 
Description/Taste
Tiny Mukago potatoes are very small, aerial tubers, most averaging the size of a shelled English pea, approximately one centimeter in diameter. They are oval to round in shape and have dark brown to gray, russeted and rough textured skin. The flesh is pale cream to white with a sticky texture, similar to taro root. When cooked, Tiny Mukago potatoes take on a soft, bean-like texture and have an earthy, slightly bitter taste.

Seasons/Availability
Tiny Mukago potatoes are available in the fall.

Current Facts
Tiny Mukago potatoes, botanically classified as Dioscorea japonica, are the small, aerial tubers of the yamaimo, or Japanese yam plant. The yamaimo is known as the mountain potato and is best known for its large underground tuber which can take up to three or four years to mature. Tiny Mukago potatoes are the edible, aerial bulbils that appear annually and grow on the vine of the plant. Once harvested, they are planted to grow more yamaimo root or are utilized as a food source. Tiny Mukago potatoes are also known as Potato Bulbs, Potato Buds, Yam Berries and Yam Nuts. They are considered to be a delicacy in Japan.

Nutritional Value
Tiny Mukago potatoes contain vitamin B1, B2, B6, and C as well as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Applications
Tiny Mukago potatoes are best suited for both raw or cooked applications and taste best when boiled lightly, grilled, or fried in oil and salted. Tiny Mukago potatoes are often served as a bar snack in Japan. They are also used in miso soup and boiled along with rice to make Tiny Mukago gohan or potato rice. They pair well with gingko nuts, burdock root, lotus root, carrots, chestnuts, mushrooms, garlic, parsley, kombu, and sake. Tiny Mukago potatoes have a relatively long shelf life and should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.

Ethnic/Cultural Info
Tiny Mukago potatoes are a rarity outside of Japan, where native Ibarakians in Tsukuba and Ibaraki still often refer to the Mukago by their ancient name, Nukago. Tiny Mukago potatoes are used in shojin-ryori (Japanese temple food), which makes use of foraged ingredients. Tiny Mukgao potatoes were also mentioned in a Shijo school text, one of the earliest records devoted to the preparation and presentation of food in Japan. The text, which dates back to 1489 BCE, indicates that an elaborate plate, which ought to be appropriate for the rank of the person the dish is being served to, should be used to serve skewers of grilled Tiny Mukago potatoes and fish cakes.

Geography/History
Tiny Mukago potatoes are native to Japan, China, and Korea. The yamaimo plant grows naturally along rivers and forest edges and in the mountains in Japan, where it has a history of cultivation dating back to 50,000 BCE. Today, the yamaimo plant is grown in home gardens both for its large, underground yams and for the Tiny Mukago aerial tubers. Tiny Mukago potatoes thrive in temperate climates and are found mainly in Japan in home gardens and at local markets.
https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Tiny_Mukago_Potatoes_11774.php (https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Tiny_Mukago_Potatoes_11774.php)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on May 28, 2019, 08:09:13 AM
Great link on Mukago potatos!

http://bastish.net/blog/2011/10/22/mukago/ (http://bastish.net/blog/2011/10/22/mukago/)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on May 28, 2019, 09:01:31 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EtZrbCAq2E (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EtZrbCAq2E)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on June 02, 2019, 11:14:58 AM
My yam berries (Dioscorea polystachya) sprouting...   ;D


(https://i.postimg.cc/2qYc9ntd/DSC-0242-resized-20190602-040745951.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/2qYc9ntd)
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/kVjQN8Pg/DSC-0244-resized-20190602-040715312.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kVjQN8Pg)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on June 06, 2019, 12:06:32 AM
My yam berries (Dioscorea polystachya) are sprouting... the first yam to sprout!  ;D

They're usually the last ones to sprout for me. I think they're gonna like it over there, they really seem like a more temperate climate species, though they're capable enough of growing in the tropics. Mine are finicky; I've treated some of them well (but not ideally), and have had rather small, wimpy vines, incapable of carrying a good crop (though they were mostly first year vines, with a few second years). Meanwhile, I've had some be utterly mistreated, and grow more vigorous vines that might reach bearing size if I just gave them a good spot (mostly second year vines). I think they like good spacing from other plants, and strong support from the start (this is vital: if the vine doesn't find something to climb, the tip will die, and it rarely produces a branch or second vine in the same season). I made this mistake with my D. japonica, and I wonder if it's done growing for the season, or if it'll put out new growth. It's my first time growing D. japonica.


Great link on Mukago potatos!

http://bastish.net/blog/2011/10/22/mukago/ (http://bastish.net/blog/2011/10/22/mukago/)

Those are definitely D. japonica, as described in the link, but they look really similar to the D. polystachya.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EtZrbCAq2E (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EtZrbCAq2E)

That one's a D. bulbifera, for sure (maybe an African strain). Polystachya and japonica don't bear bulbils anywhere near that size, and it's the wrong shape for alata or pentaphylla.


My yam berries (Dioscorea polystachya) sprouting...   ;D


(https://i.postimg.cc/2qYc9ntd/DSC-0242-resized-20190602-040745951.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/2qYc9ntd)
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/kVjQN8Pg/DSC-0244-resized-20190602-040715312.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kVjQN8Pg)


They look lovely! Be warned though, if your soil is good, you'll be seeing a lot more of them in time. With their slow sprouting, I often forgot mine, only to have them sprout in a lot of different pots. I even have one in my mom's flower garden... That's what I get for recycling soil (there's a potato and my last D. trifida growing there too).
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on July 16, 2019, 06:42:48 AM
Regular and purple Dioscorea Alata
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/t1tRVzPJ/DSC-0422-resized-20190716-112856801.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/t1tRVzPJ)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on August 13, 2019, 06:19:41 AM
Dioscorea plants growing very well...

D. Bulbifera
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/tsQC9tNp/DSC-0496.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tsQC9tNp)
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/tsjyKR9g/DSC-0497.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tsjyKR9g)

D. Polystacha
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/FYYc6QV1/DSC-0495.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/FYYc6QV1)

D. Alata, purple and white
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/hzDtHLRM/DSC-0499.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hzDtHLRM)
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/rDfn1cFm/DSC-0500.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rDfn1cFm)
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/d7yJp5f8/DSC-0498.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/d7yJp5f8)

D. Alata var Florido, the last one to sprout
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/c6sNB1d7/DSC-0501.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/c6sNB1d7)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on October 19, 2019, 02:47:30 PM
My dioscoreas...
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/TL3R4PM5/DSC-0645.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/TL3R4PM5)
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/1fpLDZ2k/DSC-0646.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1fpLDZ2k)
 
(https://i.postimg.cc/gxgtKcDT/DSC-0647.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gxgtKcDT)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on October 29, 2019, 01:29:34 PM
Your vines are looking great Luis! Remember to save pieces from the non-bulbil-bearers after harvest, to multiply the vines.


An update on my vines and my situation in general:

I'm now bouncing back from a period of neglect, and things are going decently well. I stopped taking care of the garden (beyond the basics) in the couple of months leading into july, working on some projects with the family. I got sick prior to a trip to the States with my family, so I didn't get to set up my plants as well as I had hoped. When I got back, there were some casualties (including some yams that died back), and weeds in obscene quantities. It's been a few months, and I've gotten back to work, and back to the forum.

I've managed to weed the potted specimens and organize them, taking full stock of my losses. It seems my new highly bumpy bulbifera (CV-2) won't be bearing a crop of bulbils any time soon; nevertheless, it does seem to have tuberized, so I expect to see it growing again. Sena's growth is now in full swing, together with CV-1, and Hawaii has not only resprouted, it already has a large-ish bulbil putting on size. I got a couple of people I've promised bulbils to, but depending on this season's production, I may be able to supply more people with them on a first-come basis.

D. dodecaneura/discolor is alive and though I haven't checked, I think it may have several small tubers; a few more seasons of growth should help those tubers put on some size. D. pentaphylla is alive, one growing, one died back. D. cayennensis has a rather small and mistreated vine, but otherwise hasn't stopped growing since last year. I got some Floridos and a Guinea Yam that I expect to have bulked up in the last few months (I'll take pics around harvest time). The Florida White, and Purple alatas are still growing, and Dark Night St. Vincent is in the shade with the Florida Purples, to see if the cooler temperatures increase pigment production. The D. japonica didn't re-sprout, but they did tuberize, so they should resprout with the polystachya in the coming months. Finally, the D. esculenta I got from Chandramohan (possibly the tastiest Yam in my collection, I'm eager to try it!) is somewhat small, but is arguably the bushiest yam in my collection, second only to bulbifera in vigor (though definitely not in size). I have to check on the D. trifida in my mom's flower garden; if it's not scabby, I'm propagating it this year.

The one remaining Hopniss Bean is still dormant, but the Day-neutral Winged Beans have resprouted from the roots and are already putting out another small crop. The Elephant-foor Yam and Enset periodically go dormant and resprout (currently active), and the Australian Bush Potato (Ipomoea costata) has one remaining survivor, currently resprouting. I'm getting a vigorous crop of Potato Mint at my grandmothers house (where the Conophor vines still survive), and I'm still on the lookout for Plectranthus esculentus (if anyone has any leads please let me know).

All my Andean Roots (Oca, Ulluco, Mashua, Mauka) have died off without tuberizing, save for a single specimen of Mauka, which I hope to be able to grow well this next year, once I get it in the ground. The Tuberous Vetch is gone, completely dug up and eaten by rats, no survivors. The Hog Peanut is gone. The true Peanuts are still there, sprouting again from my unharvested seeds. The Chute/Chuta/Florida Pistachio (edible Jatropha curcas) hasn't branched much at all, but the in-ground specimen is almost as tall as me now, and the smaller of the two potted specimens is flowering. The Chaya survived in the small pots, I gotta get at least one of them into the ground. The Cerrado Cashew died before I could graft it, so I'll be trying again as soon as I'm able to get more. A few Sapodilla seedlings managed to survive (as did one Passionfruit, this one's yours Luis), and now I have some Mammee Apple sprouting. The Jarilla chocola has proven remarkably resilient, resprouting every time without fail; I deeply regret having lost some clones of it, but if there's still a male and a female among my plants, there's hope yet. The Taro, Yautía and Turmeric are all doing well, the Myrciaria coronata survived my crude transplantation efforts, and my Mocambo (Theobroma bicolor) is growing its first fruit, all by itself, no pollinator. The brambles are still alive, and I still intend to breed them with strawberry when both get to flowering. The Goji Berry is still alive, and has borne some fruit for me.

Lastly, I'm trying to breed tropical-adapted potatoes again from in-Vitro germplasm and TPS, from Solanum tuberosum, S. phureja, S. cardiophyllum and several other wild species. I may have success yet, if God is willing.

I think I've covered the most important bases. It feels more like a name-dropping session, but the point was to update y'all on how my plants are doing, so there it is. I hope stay active on the forum again, 'cause I'm hopeless without y'all.  ;D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 04, 2019, 05:39:52 PM
Back when I harvested my Dark Night St. Vincent, I was a bit disappointed to find that the flesh was mostly white. I don't think the seller misrepresented nor mislabeled their plants, but I was curious why it didn't have the deep purple coloration I saw in the pictures. An idea occurred to me today that maybe 1st year vines don't develop the intense coloration, that maybe they need 2 or more growing season before turning deep purple. Alatas are one of those yams where the tuber usually keeps growing instead of being consumed once vine growth starts, so maybe they take time to deposit their pigments in the tubers. I have three containers of DNSV growing together with 3 containers of the Florida Ube I got from pineislander. I may or may not harvest one of each this season to eat it, but I'm leaving the other two for another year (and maybe even another 2 years) before I harvest, to see how pigment production changes in mature tubers. Maybe I'll get those dark purple tubers I was hoping for.

Also note: the two purples are different, DNSV having more angular-heart leaves (with a broad notch), and the Ube having more oval-shaped leaves (heart-shaped, but with a narrow notch that brings the lobes together). A side-by-side comparison of the leaves:

(https://i.postimg.cc/8fjzV4zr/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8fjzV4zr)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Luisport on November 05, 2019, 06:33:39 AM
Back when I harvested my Dark Night St. Vincent, I was a bit disappointed to find that the flesh was mostly white. I don't think the seller misrepresented nor mislabeled their plants, but I was curious why it didn't have the deep purple coloration I saw in the pictures. An idea occurred to me today that maybe 1st year vines don't develop the intense coloration, that maybe they need 2 or more growing season before turning deep purple. Alatas are one of those yams where the tuber usually keeps growing instead of being consumed once vine growth starts, so maybe they take time to deposit their pigments in the tubers. I have three containers of DNSV growing together with 3 containers of the Florida Ube I got from pineislander. I may or may not harvest one of each this season to eat it, but I'm leaving the other two for another year (and maybe even another 2 years) before I harvest, to see how pigment production changes in mature tubers. Maybe I'll get those dark purple tubers I was hoping for.

Also note: the two purples are different, DNSV having more angular-heart leaves (with a broad notch), and the Ube having more oval-shaped leaves (heart-shaped, but with a narrow notch that brings the lobes together). A side-by-side comparison of the leaves:

(https://i.postimg.cc/8fjzV4zr/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8fjzV4zr)
Yes i agree with you. Maby she neads several growing seasons to show the purple pigment...
My alatas didn't make any aereal bulb and my bubiferas just give one bulb, so they nead more growing seasons to develop better.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Anolis on November 05, 2019, 10:54:33 AM
I’ve grown an unknown variety of purple D. alata (found in an Asian market) for about 5 years now, and have noticed the same thing regarding pigmentation. It was my first yam, so I took very good care of it and harvested about 20 lbs of large tubers that year. They were all a beautiful dark purple color through and through. Unfortunately, today I’m mostly getting white tubers with some pale purple marbling, and if I’m lucky enough to get a pure purple one, it is generally a smaller, newer tuber.

I’m not sure what is causing the color change, but have a suspicion it could be related to the yams growth rate, as I have been ever more neglectful while their numbers grow. (The newest growth...bulbils...are always a dark rich purple.) Next year I may put my theory to the test, making sure to feed and water a portion of them to see if that helps retain their purple coloration.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 06, 2019, 12:12:40 PM
Interesting... So with you, it's the younger yams that have the deep purple coloration. That runs counter to what I was suspecting. Keep us posted if the water and fertilizer regimen has an impact. I'm still wondering if an older vine, left undisturbed for a few seasons, might accumulate any significant amount of pigments. Worst case scenario, we might be dealing with a high degree of somatic mutation, in which case the pigment loss might be permanent to the strain – unless it mutates back.

The Florida Ube also had the same color, as I found when I snapped a double-bulbil in half.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on November 08, 2019, 08:42:05 PM
I am getting a good bulbil crop on both white and purple alata vines, and should have plenty to sell or trade after New Years.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on November 09, 2019, 03:46:31 PM
I am getting a good bulbil crop on both white and purple alata vines, and should have plenty to sell or trade after New Years.

Would you consider these two alatas productive bulbil-bearers? Would you grow them for that particular purpose?

Mine survived well enough, but beside being first-year vines, the white ones had their growing tips damaged early on, so I don't expect much from them this season.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on December 21, 2019, 02:19:51 PM
I harvested the first plant (out of 5, 4 to go) of Dioscorea esculenta, which I had received from Chandramohan. The verdict... It was great! Tender, quick to cook, mild and starchy. The skin is thin, but inedible and bitter (I tried it); if you cook the tiny ones in the skin, they're easier to pop out with your fingers than if you tried to peel them. Yields were small – no fertilizer, infrequent watering, 2 gallon pots. I expect yields to be much better when given actual decent care.

I ate the first plant's worth of tubers. From the remainder, I'll save some seed tubers for myself and for anyone else interested. The other plants haven't died back yet, but when they do, I'll be leaving them in the ground until it's time to plant or ship (and shipped in media, as I received them). I had left this first batch of tubers exposed for a few days, and they turned a bit ugly outside – though they were still nice and tasty inside.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on January 15, 2021, 07:08:37 PM
I had a good enough harvest from the Dioscorea bulbifera from Caesar to show and even eat. I picked bulbils and dug out  tubers to relocate them this spring. They were strong growers and began to overtak some young mango trees planted close by. In the photo the round ones are bulbils and the tubers with roots were the "mother" vines. Disregard the one in upper right that was an aexceptional D. alata bulbil which touched the ground and rooted in to become very large.
The two largest mothers were 2 years in ground, the smaller ones were one year. So, by about the second year you can get substantial large bulbils from these.

(https://i.postimg.cc/1nS561yS/DSC02098.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1nS561yS)

The flesh is yellow and not so slippery as most yams. I fried some and the taste was excellent, very neutral flavor with nothing off-putting, equal to potato. The batch pictured I left the skin on but it was too tough to chew, however it pulled off easily with no waste.
(https://i.postimg.cc/QBsRJ8Kf/DSC02100.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QBsRJ8Kf)

(https://i.postimg.cc/HjH9WJDZ/DSC02101.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/HjH9WJDZ)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: shot on January 18, 2021, 09:50:42 AM
That last pic looks mighty tasty!
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on January 18, 2021, 11:14:06 PM
One thing about these is they are good eating and the outward appearance is pretty regular, smooth and not gnarly bumpy or covered with roots. Plus they do taste very good!
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Chandramohan on November 27, 2021, 10:53:16 PM
I harvested this Air potato two days back, it weighed a whopping 3.1lbs.
(https://i.postimg.cc/vgfb3vzp/20211125-172244.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vgfb3vzp)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Chandramohan on November 27, 2021, 11:34:48 PM
About 3 months back I found this Yam growing on a tree in my farm. It looks as if I had planted the tuber two or three years back and had not noticed the vine.
(https://i.postimg.cc/56RNk2vJ/20210824-124024.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/56RNk2vJ)

(https://i.postimg.cc/PvqT2g5N/20210824-124109.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PvqT2g5N)
The vine is different in that, it has 6 ridges and not 4 as compared to other Dioscoreas I have, and there are small thorns in the ridges.
Last week when I checked on the vine it had dried up and the seed tubers were falling down. So yesterday I decided to dig up the tuber. Initially the tuber appeared the thickness of a thumb but as I went deeper it became thicker, but it is so tender that the slightest pressure on the soil would break the tuber, as you will see from the no. of pieces! Finally after a depth of about two and a half feet, the tuber had grown into the root of the tree and I had to abandon my attempt.
(https://i.postimg.cc/XBWyq7Lm/20211126-125712.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XBWyq7Lm)
After boiling the tuber, when I tasted it I got a surprise! It is the tastiest Yam I have eaten! It is very creamy and unbelievably 'White' !!

Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on November 29, 2021, 08:02:07 PM
I harvested this Air potato two days back, it weighed a whopping 3.1lbs.
(https://i.postimg.cc/vgfb3vzp/20211125-172244.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vgfb3vzp)
That is fantastic. How long has the mother root been in the ground?

I got the same bulbifera from Caesar and they have grown very well. I moved mine this past year and it slowed down the production. I hope to have some larger like yours some day.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Chandramohan on November 30, 2021, 12:47:22 AM
pineislander
[/quote]
That is fantastic. How long has the mother root been in the ground?

I got the same bulbifera from Caesar and they have grown very well. I moved mine this past year and it slowed down the production. I hope to have some larger like yours some day.
[/quote]
The mother root has been in the ground two years. Every three years I dig up the mother root to boil and eat, as it is tastier than the arial tuber. I plant a new one in its place.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on December 21, 2021, 09:02:40 PM
My bulbifera harvest for the year. These were up in trees and a strong storm brought them down today. Next season all will be given a permanent home on a 100 ft long fence.

(https://i.postimg.cc/vcbBTp3h/DSC02359.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vcbBTp3h)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Stomata on December 29, 2021, 08:21:17 AM
Anyone have any yams they want to trade? I have a fee types of bulbifera: Hawaii and Mexico. As well as a few alata cultivars: Emperor(i think was the name)) purple, another purple, yellow and white fleshed alatas.
 
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pineislander on January 04, 2022, 08:38:41 AM
I am interested. Please send PM.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Chandramohan on January 30, 2022, 04:40:54 AM
This bulbifera tuber I had dug up yesterday and it weighed 4.756 kgs or  about 10.5 lbs. After boiling, it was soft but not mushy and slightly sweet! Much better than the arial tuber.
(https://i.postimg.cc/tnQ4jyP0/IMG-20220129-121048.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tnQ4jyP0)

(https://i.postimg.cc/qzZMPDBc/IMG-20220130-170659.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qzZMPDBc)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Chandramohan on February 09, 2022, 08:29:06 AM
I dug up these Dioscorea esculenta tubers today. Tubers from this vine is what Caesar has.
(https://i.postimg.cc/dkTF8BgX/IMG-20220209-123138.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dkTF8BgX)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: nullroar on April 04, 2022, 01:02:26 PM
 God I wish there were more folks involved in cultivating and selling the edible bulbiferas. It's an extraordinary producer and I'd love to get my hands on some.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Pokeweed on April 05, 2022, 07:56:23 AM
The last couple of years I have propagated a bunch of dioscorea with varying soccess. The alatas went crazy. A few other types did o.k. About January when the vines had all dried out and some bulbous started dropping I carefully collected the bulbils and brought them into the house. Early March I put them in pots and back outside. Then the critter raids started. Everything got mixed up and no labels were left in place. Guess I'm going to have some now unidentified dioscorea....
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Pokeweed on April 05, 2022, 08:00:11 AM
Hey Nullroar, If there is an Asian near in your vicinity you can get a bunch of dioscorea there. And other tubers you can propagate. Check Cesar's list on the first page. Some of these are temperate. Have fun! D
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on December 27, 2022, 08:03:11 PM
I had a good enough harvest from the Dioscorea bulbifera from Caesar to show and even eat. I picked bulbils and dug out  tubers to relocate them this spring. They were strong growers and began to overtak some young mango trees planted close by.

The flesh is yellow and not so slippery as most yams. I fried some and the taste was excellent, very neutral flavor with nothing off-putting, equal to potato. The batch pictured I left the skin on but it was too tough to chew, however it pulled off easily with no waste.
One thing about these is they are good eating and the outward appearance is pretty regular, smooth and not gnarly bumpy or covered with roots. Plus they do taste very good!

I am so glad that they fared well for you! I was beginning to worry that the beetles would impact your harvest too much to make them worthwhile.

The cooking description is well appreciated as well, and I’m glad you liked them. I sometimes worry (despite feeling that I oversell their productive qualities) that I undersell them in terms of flavor... condemnation by faint praise, you could say. But while it’s true that I’ve had better yams in terms of flavor, I really do enjoy the air potatoes, and I’ve nothing negative to say about them when eaten fresh (I’ve only felt distasteful bitterness from air potatoes left sitting for a long time).


I harvested this Air potato two days back, it weighed a whopping 3.1lbs.
(https://i.postimg.cc/vgfb3vzp/20211125-172244.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vgfb3vzp)

That’s an aerial bulbil? It’s huge! How old was the root that produced it?


About 3 months back I found this Yam growing on a tree in my farm. It looks as if I had planted the tuber two or three years back and had not noticed the vine.
(https://i.postimg.cc/56RNk2vJ/20210824-124024.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/56RNk2vJ)

(https://i.postimg.cc/PvqT2g5N/20210824-124109.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PvqT2g5N)
The vine is different in that, it has 6 ridges and not 4 as compared to other Dioscoreas I have, and there are small thorns in the ridges.
Last week when I checked on the vine it had dried up and the seed tubers were falling down. So yesterday I decided to dig up the tuber. Initially the tuber appeared the thickness of a thumb but as I went deeper it became thicker, but it is so tender that the slightest pressure on the soil would break the tuber, as you will see from the no. of pieces! Finally after a depth of about two and a half feet, the tuber had grown into the root of the tree and I had to abandon my attempt.
(https://i.postimg.cc/XBWyq7Lm/20211126-125712.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XBWyq7Lm)
After boiling the tuber, when I tasted it I got a surprise! It is the tastiest Yam I have eaten! It is very creamy and unbelievably 'White' !!

Six ridges and thorns are within the range described for the species, but I’ve never seen it myself. The vine is very likely to grow back from the portion remaining in the soil.

Alatas are often some of the best yams out there. Rarely have I had any bitter ones, the worst ones I’ve had were fibrous, but those were few and far between. I’m partial to rotundata myself, but that’s because I mash them, so it doesn’t matter that they’re hard and dense. Alatas are generally soft, they practically melt in your mouth, and can fall apart and dissolve with long cooking, no mashing required (unless you prefer it). At least, that’s been my experience with the varieties I’ve had here.


The mother root has been in the ground two years. Every three years I dig up the mother root to boil and eat, as it is tastier than the arial tuber. I plant a new one in its place.

Have any roots older than that remained in the ground? Have you noticed a difference in quality, size and production with older vines?

Anyone have any yams they want to trade? I have a fee types of bulbifera: Hawaii and Mexico. As well as a few alata cultivars: Emperor(i think was the name)) purple, another purple, yellow and white fleshed alatas.

PM sent! I’ve lost some varieties, and am interested in getting them back.

This bulbifera tuber I had dug up yesterday and it weighed 4.756 kgs or  about 10.5 lbs. After boiling, it was soft but not mushy and slightly sweet! Much better than the arial tuber.
(https://i.postimg.cc/tnQ4jyP0/IMG-20220129-121048.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tnQ4jyP0)

(https://i.postimg.cc/qzZMPDBc/IMG-20220130-170659.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qzZMPDBc)

I guess it pays to renew the stock every once in a while! I think I may start doing that myself with my own bulbiferas.

I’m sorry to say that the bumpy CV-2 was among the varieties I lost (though CV-1 remains a survivor for me). I’ve justified growing them in totes for so long out of a fear of losing them to my heavy soil. But after several losses despite my best efforts, I get the feeling that they might actually have a better chance of weathering drought and accessing nutrients in my heavy clay instead of the tote containers.

I dug up these Dioscorea esculenta tubers today. Tubers from this vine is what Caesar has.
(https://i.postimg.cc/dkTF8BgX/IMG-20220209-123138.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dkTF8BgX)

They’ve borne decently well in the totes, but this next year I may put them into the clay ground as well. All I need is a pickaxe to fluff the soil at planting, and a good layer of mulch. They make good eating, but my methods haven’t been good at yielding larger tubers (even the usually prodigious rotundata has repeatedly yielded baseball-sized tubers in my totes).


God I wish there were more folks involved in cultivating and selling the edible bulbiferas. It's an extraordinary producer and I'd love to get my hands on some.

I’ve been wishing the same for a long time. At the height of my collection, I had no less than 9 varieties (and possibly more). I’m now down to 3, at least. If there were more growers, replacing them would be simple, but now I’m nearly at a loss as to how to replace them. Some of my own sources no longer sell them. As to my own situation... it is the same as when I first started in this forum. The same little suburban backyard. No farm, no land. My efforts at obtaining them have waned, but I’ve not fully given up, and am looking forward to this next year. But to return from the digression, my current state of affairs is not conducive to the preservation of a species, let alone multiple varieties of space-needy vines.

In terms of bulbifera, I still have CV-1, Saipan Purple, and Mae-sai Yellow. I believe Sena may still be available from Stephward Estate (though they wouldn’t likely call it that, I named it on my end). The one I call Nonthaburi Yellow still seems consistently available from the same eBay vendor. I still have my contact for the Tefoe varieties (Purple, Green, Yellow), but I haven’t contacted him in a long time, so I don’t know if he’s still online. I don’t know where to re-acquire Odisha Yellow, Africa or Mexico, and my source for Hawaii has been difficult to reach on my last attempts.

This has been my pet project, one of my most important efforts, and my failure to yield good results with what should be a very productive species has taken a mental toll on me. It is actually the biggest reason why I’ve dropped off the forums for so long.

The last couple of years I have propagated a bunch of dioscorea with varying soccess. The alatas went crazy. A few other types did o.k. About January when the vines had all dried out and some bulbous started dropping I carefully collected the bulbils and brought them into the house. Early March I put them in pots and back outside. Then the critter raids started. Everything got mixed up and no labels were left in place. Guess I'm going to have some now unidentified dioscorea....

Fading labels and shared containers were a big issue with my ability to identify varieties. Species ID is a cinch, but good luck telling different varieties apart during the growing season.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Rispa on December 28, 2022, 01:49:14 AM
Did you figure out how to manage tubors treated to not sprout? I'm really hoping I did it right this time by soaking them in water with ascorbic acid added (vitamin c capsules). The elephant garlic is definitely growing and very obviously doing well compared to the one I just soaked in water. No sign of growth from the purple and white sweet potatoes though.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on December 28, 2022, 01:14:21 PM
Did you figure out how to manage tubors treated to not sprout? I'm really hoping I did it right this time by soaking them in water with ascorbic acid added (vitamin c capsules). The elephant garlic is definitely growing and very obviously doing well compared to the one I just soaked in water. No sign of growth from the purple and white sweet potatoes though.

I wasn’t aware that any tubers were treated to prevent sprouting (at least, not that I recall). I have planted sweet potatoes that ended up rotting, though. I gave my elephant garlic a soak in a water & bleach mix to prevent disease. It didn’t seem to like the fluffy soil I gave it, though. It struggled for about a year, but eventually succumbed to rot. The Perennial Multiplier Leeks and I’itoi Onions have survived like champs, and my toughest Allium has been the Rakkyo. The Canada Onion, Welsche Onions and Walking Onions have all adapted well enough, but the Potato Onions have done poorly for me (I still have some seed-grown survivors), and the Garlics and Grey Shallots ended up dying. The Grey Shallots looked like they might have had a chance under different soil, but I failed to order them this year, and they’re sold out. All live Alliums were given the bleach water treatment prior to planting.
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Rispa on December 29, 2022, 03:49:44 AM
I had issues with some really nice tasting and textured white skin, purple flesh sweet potatoes going to must. That's when I found that out. My first try at elephant garlic was a mess too. Here are pics of the difference between the two elephant garlic pots.
(https://i.postimg.cc/6TTtQZkc/20221229-024636.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/6TTtQZkc)

(https://i.postimg.cc/WFYVnpk0/20221229-024722.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/WFYVnpk0)
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pagnr on January 02, 2023, 01:29:33 AM
Vanuatu scientists develop new super hybrid yam,  Golden Hybrid Yam. This new hybrid variety was developed through the breeding of soft yam (Dioscorea Alata) and wild yam (Dioscorea Numularia) for increased resilient and adaptability to local conditions.
https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificbeat/vanuatu-golden-hybrid-yam/13542878
https://www.dailypost.vu/news/countdown-to-launch-of-vanuatu-golden-hybrid-yam/article_58d6c5b6-96db-5c2f-a753-c4c17b4b27f6.html
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInVanuatuNews/posts/golden-hybrid-yam-a-new-super-climate-resilient-yam-that-can-be-harvested-all-ye/4004878002951983/
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: Caesar on January 02, 2023, 10:35:52 AM
Wow, that’s impressive! I didn’t think those two species were close enough to crossbreed. Is there any source for them able and willing to ship overseas?
Title: Re: The Yam Checklist: Starting a Backyard Dioscorea Germplasm Collection
Post by: pagnr on January 02, 2023, 03:38:01 PM

It would be interesting to know if the hybrid Yams are on sale in markets in Vanuatu now, or if they will be grown in Neighbouring countries too.
When I lived in Cairns, Australia I used to enjoy Taro, Sweet Potato and Yams from PNG Ladies that sold them at the famous Rusty's Markets.

This info is from link 2
“There are 23 varieties of VGHY that were raised in multiplication plots in Santo, Tagabe Agriculture farm and the DARD Santo team will attend the NWA with 1 tonne of VGHY to be distributed to farmers through-out the country who will be participating in the NWA,” he said.

“This is a very special hybrid as it can be planted through-out the year or all year around. It can be harvested after six to 10 months unlike wild yam that can be harvested after three years.

“After harvesting, its planting materials for replanting should be safely stored for two months which is its dormancy period.
“DARD’s aim is to distribute this new yam variety to all famers of Vanuatu by the end of 2021.”