Description

Dioscorea dumetorum (Trifoliate yam) belongs to the genus Dioscorea, the genus is widely distributed throughout the tropics and includes important root crops that offer staple food for over 300 million people. Tubers of D. dumetorum are protein-rich (9.6%) with a fairly balanced essential amino acids composition. The provitamin A and carotenoid contents of the tubers of deep yellow genotypes are equivalent to those of yellow corn maize lines selected for increased concentrations of provitamin A. The deep yellow yam tubers are used in antidiabetic treatments in Nigeria, probably due to the presence of dioscoretine, which is a bioactive compound with hypoglycaemic properties.