Diversity and use of tropical tuber crops in Latin America

Michaela Grácová

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Roots and tuber crops play a vital role in both household and national food security especially in developing countries. In numerous regions across Latin America, impoverished farmers and individuals facing food insecurity rely heavily on roots and tubers for sustenance, nutrition, animal feed, and income generation. Tuber crops are even utilized as alternatives to cereal flours in industrial processes, including the production of starch, distilled spirits, and various minor products. Additionally, they find applications in traditional medicine, contributing to disease risk mitigation and overall wellness. This thesis was done as a literature review of tuber crops cultivated in Latin America. It provided an overview of roots and tuber crops, their definition, modes of propagation, utilization, and prospects for future development. Phytochemical composition including toxicity and medicinal uses were also discussed. The thesis then focused on ecological aspects of tuber crops cultivation such as the impact of climate change and other factors influencing the production of crops. Additionally, the plant species and their variability were presented along with a table summarizing these findings, included as an output of the review.

Keywords

Latin America, tuber crops, diversity

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 21. 4. 2024

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 30. 5. 2024
• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Zbyněk Polesný, Ph.D.
• Reader: Barbora Fišerová

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Bachelor programme:
Tropical Agriculture