TARO PRODUCTION, CONSTRAINS AND RESEARCH IN

Arlene Rodríguez-Manzano, Adolfo A. Rodríguez-Nodals, Leonor Castiñeiras-Alfonso, Zoila Fundora- Mayor and Adolfo Rodríguez--Manzano.

Institute of Fundamental Research on Tropical Agriculture (INIFAT). Calle 1. esq. 2, Santiago de las Vegas, C. Habana, Cuba. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract In Cuba there there are two types of “malanga” under cultivation: the so called “malanga”, corresponding to Xanthosoma spp., and the “malanga isleña,” or “taro” (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott.). Though basically used in the same way, preferences for these two crops varies among different regions of the country and different ethnicities. This clearly affects taro demand and production in Cuba. The highest taro production was reached in 1979, with 224 700 tons, decreasing considerably to 4640 tons, by 2000. Production has stayed at this level for the past two years. However, the Ministry of Agriculture is interested in increasing the area cultivated with taro in the country. The main constraint for this is financial, and this is also the main factor contributing to the yield decrease. Nevertheless, the production obtained by small farmers in “conucos” (home gardens), has been significant, as revealed by the information compiled through interviews carried out in three regions of the country. The last decade's Urban Agriculture Program promoted the crop in intensive gardens, under organic conditions, using the traditional clones preferred by local people. In this context, an intensive “seed” production system was developed, supported partially by biotechnologies for accelerated multiplication. Research on the crop includes germplasm collecting, introduction of clones, conservation, characterization and evaluation to increase the efficiency of breeding and production programs, and studies on the origin and evolution of the species. Recent evidence for the presence of a new wild stoloniferous taro, in the eastern opens new research horizons regarding the introduction and evolution of the crop in the Caribbean region. Key words: wild, urban agriculture, in situ, ex situ conservation, seed

1. INTRODUCTION Within Araceae family exist two genera broadly used in the population's feeding in Cuba: Colocasia, commonly call “malanga isleña” and Xanthosoma, referring to the so-called “malanga or guagüí”. Pichardo, mentioned by Roig (1965), said that the voice “malanga” comes from África and it was later adapted to the common Cuban language; the integration of African and Spanish cultures in the vulgar name of the cultivated clones of Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott is interesting, since the voice “malanga” was contributed by the black slaves while the word “isleña (islander)”, comes from the coming Spaniards from Canary Islands that were settled in Cuba. Though basically used in the same way, preferences for these two crops varies among different regions of the country and different ethnicities (Castiñeiras et al., 2001).

Taro is originated in the Indo-Malay region, and it was dispersed to the east and southeast of Asia, the Pacific Islands and east of Madagascar and África, from where it was introduced the Caribbean and America, according to Ivancic & Lebot (2000). However in Cuba, an introduction route could have been from the western part of Africa and from Canary Islands, in the XVIII century during the colonial period, through the slaves and the settlers, respectively. Another possible introduction route could be from the Philippines Islands, through the route Manila–Acapulco-Havana. Lastly, it would have been introduced directly from China, through the Chinese immigrants in the XIX century and from Japan, in the years that preceded and during the Second World War. The japanese immigrants settled in Cuba

1 and they formed a colony in the Youth's Island, to the south of Havana (Rodríguez-Manzano et al., 2001).

The biggest variability in Cuba for Colocasia is reported in the central region of the country because great quantity of Spaniards from the Canary Island settled in that area, and they introduced this cultivation. However, new evidences indicate the eastern region is an important source of variability for the taro, due to the discovery of a wild estoloniferous type.

Taro is very important in the Cuban population's diet, it becomes necessary to preserve its diversity, not only in the Gene Banks (ex situ conservation), but also by means of the e in situ conservation, performed by the farmers during years in the home gardens farms, and in urban and peri-urban gardens (Rodríguez-Manzano et al. 2000). It is also necessary to preserve wild accessions in the existent natural niches where they developed their particular characteristics in Cuba.

Taro has more and more importance in the tropical countries, so the objective of the present work was to expose the main results obtained, and the principal factors that limit, the investigations and taro production in Cuba. The possible strategies to go on in the future, are discussed.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS Starting from the annual reports of the Cuba Agriculture Ministry about the roots and rhizomes productions obtained (Manso, 2001), yields behavior in taro [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] from state farms, were analyzed. In the Urban Agriculture, the production is carried out with a intensive technology, performed on organic bases, near the cities and towns (Rodríguez-Nodals et al., 2002).

Agromorphology, botanic, cytogenetic, isoenzymatic and biometric characterization of ex situ collection [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] was carried out, keeping in mind the methodology proposed by Rodríguez Manzano et al. (2002). To select the promissory clones for using in the breeding programs and in the production, they were kept in mind the following variables: the average of the total experimental and commercial yields, palatability, and chromosomes number and presence or not of inflorescences in the 42 studied clones.

The information on the variability of this crop, according the farmers’ perception, was obtained through shared interviews in different home gardens, selected from the study of the in situ conservation of cultivated plants project, as recommended by Castiñeiras et al. (2000).

Finally, expeditions in the mountainous areas of the eastern region were carried out, searching for new variability sources, and surveys with the farmers’ families about their use, were also carried out. From the obtained information the factors that limit the production were analyzed in those systems, as well as the possible strategies for the development of new investigations about taro in Cuba.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

• Taro production in Cuba The maximum taro production obtained in Cuba was of 224 700 t in 1979, since were dedicated great quantity of hectares under irrigation for its cultivation. Yields have diminished in the subsequent years, until 1990 reached 3 850 t; from that year, the decrease of the taro production was slower, and in 1998, had been reached 2 590 t. However, from this moment, it was registered a modest increment, and in 2000 was reached 4 640 t. It has stayed stable in the last years, with a slight tendency to the increment.

2 During the years 1990-2000, Cuba crossed through a special period, as a consequence of the economic blockade imposed by the United States, coincident with the collapse of the Socialist Block. This originated the necessity of reorganizing the whole external trade of the country, and many sectors of the economy were affected, among them the agriculture, because of the lack of the necessary fuel to guarantee the irrigation of the crops and for the agricultural practices. Taro was one of the affected crops. This way, it diminished the sowed area considerably, existing a great deficit of this product in the markets, with a consequent increase of the prices. This situation also affected the areas of Xanthosoma, taking place an unbalance in the production of both crops, in detriment of Colocasia, mainly because this it requires a bigger expense of water.

Nevertheless Colocasia continues being potentially an important crop, since the improved clones produce higher yields (more than 36 t/ha) in regime of intensive cultivation, and with a cycle of 8-10 months, in comparison with approximately 20 t/ha that take place in a cycle of 12 months with the best clones in Xanthosoma.

Taro demands great quantity of water, that is the main limitation to enlarge the sowed areas; however, the different clones have potential yields of 60 and 70 t/ha, together with the fact that corms and cormels are all eatable.

Although the production has fallen in the last years, their cultivation continues being important, since its yield is high and it can be developed with success, using the irrigation by gravity, or other techniques that do not require high expenses of fuel.

It has been detected that the viral diseases do not affect the yields in Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, because this crop is affected by a less severe stock of the Dasheen Mosaic Virus, that protects it against the most severe one. The virus problem is increased in the case of the commercial clones of Xanthosoma, with a greater decrease of the yields (Quintero et al, 1999).

In Cuba they have also been obtained important results, starting from different investigations that allow to obtain vitroplants free of virus and endogenous microorganism (Mederos, 1995; Quintero et al., 1999; Rodríguez-Manzano, 2003). Besides, there is a methodology that allows “to vaccinate” the vitroplants or plants, with a less severe strain of Dasheens Mosaics Virus (DMV) that protects them against the most severe strain (Quintero et al, 1999), that favors the production of both cultivations, particularly taro.

• Main uses of taro in Cuba Taro is broadly used in Cuba is broadly as a very convenient food for children and old men feeding, and also for people with digestive illnesses; besides, it is a food of common use in the Cuban cuisine. The corms and cormels are eaten as puree or cooked in pieces, only with salt, or adding oil with onion and garlic; in the form of flour, in fine fried slices; fritters; sweets and as a gelifying agent in ice creams. It is also very used in soups, beans and in a typical dish called “caldosa” or “ajiaco”, that is a broth, with a mixture of taro pieces and of other species like sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (Lim.) Lam]; cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz); yam (Dioscorea spp.); banana and plantains (Musa spp.), condiment plants and different types of meat, where the most commonly used is pork.

• Conservation and characterization of ex situ taro collection Due to the decrease of the sowed areas and to the prevalence in the production of only one commercial clone, 'Camerún 14 ', the conservation and the correct characterization of carried out in the national ex situ collection, acquires more importance (Rodríguez-Manzano, 2001); that has allowed the 3 increase of the knowledge of the diversity existent in the collections and to propose a working methodology for taro ex situ collections characterization. This methodology consists of five stages and it can be applied to other collections of roots, rhizomes and tubers in Cuba (Rodríguez-Manzano, 2001; Rodríguez-Manzano et al., 2002).

a) Characterization and evaluation of the accessions, keeping in mind all descriptors recommended by the IPGRI, with the possible incorporation of new descriptors or modalities in depending on the variability existent in the studied collection. b) Use of multivariate statistical analysis to know the more important descriptors which determine the variability, and to select the indispensable minimum descriptors for clone identification. c) Elaboration of a dichotomic key for clone identification, that allows to know the genetic stability in the field, the possible mechanical mixtures, mutations or any epigenetic change. d) Realization of cytogenetic and molecular analysis to identify the presence of duplicates in the collection, as well as to clarify aspects of the phylogeny that have not still been clarified in many of these crops. e) Selection of promissory clones for their use in breeding programs and in the production. It should be taken into consideration yields, pest resistance as well as, the quality for the consumption.

In Cuba the first evaluation of genotype-environment interaction in Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott was developed in five zones during three years, with four clones well morphologically differentiated: ‘Isleña Japonesa'; 'Selección Herradura'; 'Isleña Rosada Habana' and ' Isleña Miranda'. In this study, genotype-environment interactions were highly significant, and also year-environment ones, but significant differences did not exist for genotype-year interactions, neither between genotypes x years x environment interactions (Rodríguez-Nodals, 1984).

Starting from the study of the 42 clones of the ex situ collection during 2 years, and keeping in mind the number of chromosomes and the presence or not of inflorescences, it was possible to select 17 clones with high yields and good palatability; among those, are the three present commercial clones: 'Camerún 14', 'Isleña Rosada Habana' and 'MC-2 ' (Ministry of Agriculture, 1998); in the other 14 could be carried out deeper studies on pest resistance, genotype-environment interactions and crop management, among other aspects of interest.

Among the selected clones, 11 presented good or delicious palatability, high yields and they emitted inflorescences; of them, three can be used as diploid parents ('Isleña Rosada Jibacoa', 'Rosada Sancti Spiritus' and 'Panameña'), and eight as triploid parents ('Isleña Rosada #1', 'Isleña Rosada Mayajigua', 'Isleña Cienfueguera', 'Isleña Yabú', 'CEMSA 75-11', 'Camerún 14', 'Madere Blanc' and 'Isleña Rosada Sabanilla'), in case is proven the feminine or masculine fertility that they possess; nevertheless, the barriers can also be eliminated through the protoplasts fusion. These clones cannot only be recommended for the breeding programs, but also to improve the clone composition in production, with the exception of 'Camerún 14', that is the best commercial clone.

In Cuba have been carried out attempts of obtaining seeds but it has been impossible (Rodríguez- Nodals, 1984; Rodríguez-Manzano & Rodríguez-Nodals, 2002); but some clones have been obtained by selection of somatic mutations (Rodríguez-Nodals, 1984; Rodríguez-Manzano, 2001), as well as by irradiation, starting from explants of in vitro culture (Milián et al., 2001). Breeding programs can be developed by biotechnology methods, like somaclonal variation, in vitro mutations induction, genetic transformation and protoplasts fusion, as well as by hybridization, looking for pest resistance, starting from wild and semi-wild accessions, introduced from center of origin, that can also be used as gene 4 sources for the improvement of the ability in the inflorescence emission and the environment adaptability (Rodríguez-Manzano et al, 2002).

The results of this work constitute the base for improving clonal composition of this species, that at the present time is quite narrow, keeping in mind that in Cuba exists only one clone in the production, 'Camerún 14 ' (Ministry of Agriculture, 1998), and new clones, obtained from the breeding programs, also possesses the same genetic bases (Milián et al, 2001). • Taro productions foment starting from the development of Urban Agriculture Program. The demand was detected, as well as the importance of the taro in the urban and periurban farms, by the National Urban Agriculture Group (GNAU), and it was proposed an intensive technology production on organic bases in small areas, with water supply and the use of traditional clones adapted to each town. This allows to have this product near the population settlements, and this way, to avoid expenses of fuel for transportation from distant places (Rodríguez-Nodals et al., 2002a).

Urban Agriculture Guidelines for the Root and Rhizomes Subprogram, give the main aspects should be taken into account for the production in 2003 (GNAU, 2003), and the recommended strategies for the support to the production in these systems. They consider the following elements: a) The use of clones with local adaptation; there are some important clones used in different places of the country, like: 'Isleña Rosada Sabanilla' in Union de Reyes, Matanzas province; 'Isleña Japonesa' in the Youth's Island; 'Isleña Herradura' to the south of Pinar del Río province; 'Isleña Rosada Mayajigua' in Yaguajay, Sancti Spiritus province ; 'Isleña Rosada Escambray' in the mountainous of the Guamuhaya Massif, in Cienfuegos province, 'Isleña Filé', in the mountains of province, etc. In other cases, clones with general adaptation could be used, as the current commercial clones: 'Camerún 14' and 'Isleña Rosada Habana'. b) Seed selection and appropriate manipulation (Rodríguez-Nodals et al., 2002b). c) Plantation in the appropriate time and moment. In Cuba the best time is between January and March, being permissible from November to April. The plantation distance depends on the size of the cormels to be used (Rodríguez-Nodals et al., 1990). d) Appropriate handling of the fertilization, using practices and not very aggressive products. For example, applications of 200 tons/ha of organic matter are recommended, depending on the available type of organic manure, being important this variant for the positive impact that this has since on the environment, reducing considerably the use of chemical fertilization. e) Appropriate handling of the irrigation since Colocasia is water demanding, although it does not admit flooded water. Taro is, among the crops of roots and rhizomes, the one with the most potential of production, if it has systematic irrigation and a good nutrition; so you can not expect commercial yields smaller than 50 t/ha, and even much more. f) Appropriate control of weeds; cultivations and crop management should be made as necessary and possible, up to 90 days after germination, preferably with animal traction, with the objective of to maintaining the bed conformation, and to facilitate the development of the root system. g) Haevesting should be carried out in the appropriated moment, starting 10 months after germination, with an optimum between 10-12 months. If it is harvested after 10 months irrigation should be maintained, always removing it about 15 days before harvesting. In the case of the clone ‘Camerún 14’, resistant to the attack of the acarus Rizogliphus the crop harvesting can lengthen until the 14 months, without loss of quality, if interest exists in different times of harvesting. The network of 162 seed farms, belonging to the National Movement of the it can satisfy the demands of local seeds production. For example it was detected in Santiago de Cuba province, a clone with a

5 high yield potential, 'Isleña Filé' (Fig. 1), and very demanded by the residents of the Tercer Frente Municipality. For this reason, its multiplying was guided in the local seeds farm. This contributes to the rescue of the traditional varieties, keeping in mind their use and demand by those local farmers. Another important aspect to highlight, is the possibility that Cuba has because of having an installed capacity for the massive in vitro propagation of plants, starting from the existence of eleven plant factories. At present, the production is limited because of the lack of the necessary inputs to produce the necessary “vitroseeds” for peasants in the urban and periurbans areas.

• In situ conservation of cultivated taro clones in Cuba. The individual farmers, in their family orchards, conserve a great diversity of cultivated plants species, and even a high diversity of forms within each species, that assures alimentary self-sufficiency of the family. Each specie and each form within the species, plays a very specific role within the family alimentary economy (Eyzaguirre & Watson, 2002 ).

The study was carried out, keeping in mind the perception of the farmers; it showed the presence of 16 accessions of [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] in 12 home gardens in the Western and Central regions of Cuba (Castiñeiras et al., 2000; Fundora et al., 2003).

Those Colocasia cultivated clones were only present in home garden of these two regions, so they should be studied and monitored, and it is also important to promote the training of the producers on handling of the accessions they conserve and they use for their consumption, and this way it is possible to avoid genetic erosion.

In Cienfuegos province (central region) there exists the biggest variability, with 11 accessions, followed by Pinar del Río (western region), with 5 accessions. The maximum variability per “conuco” was three accessions, in a “conuco” in Cienfuegos and another in Pinar del Río. In Cienfuegos, only two “conucos” of those studied, do not cultivate taro; however, in Pinar del Río, 10 “conucos” do not cultivate any accesion of this species. Any accession was not reported in Guantánamo province (eastern region). This coincides with that reported by other authors, who affirmed that the central region is the richest in variability for this specie. Nevertheless, new expeditions carried out recently, indicate that it should be necessary to continued exploring other areas in the East of Cuba, searching for new variability.

Visiting producers in other provinces, in urban and rural areas, different phenotypes was detected within the same plantation, deliberately planted together, and rather maintains them in that way. For example, in the same plantation, a producer has clones without pigmentation in the leaves, together with clones with purple pigmentation in the center of the leaf limbo, and also others with purple pigmentation in the center of the leaf limbo, and in the two basal veins, in the upper face. It would be interesting to analyze in detail, from the morphological point of view, the most important characters in the aerial vegetative organs, reported previously by Rodríguez-Manzano et al. (1999), and also using molecular markers, to be able to detect the areas with the largest genetic erosion and to deepen in the phylogeny of this species in Cuba.

• New explorations in the Eastern Region of Cuba The eastern region of Cuba possesses few reports of variability for Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott. For this reason, it was organized an expedition that covered poor explored areas of the eastern region, being encountered new variability sources for the species, this time a wild type. The wild taro type was found in mountainous areas of the eastern region, in the Sierra Maestra slopes, Tercer Frente Municipality, Santiago de Cuba province, nearby to Filé town, specifically in the Saltón River. 6 Taro wild type was growing in a semi-caducifolious forest, under different conditions: a) in vertical position, near the cascades, in the surface of rocks, sprinkled by water (Fig. 2); b), in the river bed, formed by calcareous rocks (Fig. 3); c) growing between big rocks (Fig. 4); and d) in the sandy bed of the river (Fig. 5). This coincides with that outlined by Matthews (1997) on the main characteristics of the places where the wild types of taro grow, in the tropical forests of Queensland.

It was very common to find these wild plants, when they were on the rocks surface, growing together with the jipi-japa plants (Carludovica palmata Ruiz et Pav.) (Fig. 3). This plant apparently produces a trap effect, retaining segments of the stolons transported by the river, when colliding with them. It is interesting to highlight that this plant is probably originary from Central America (Bolivia, Perú and Chile) (Esquivel et al., 1992), and in this place it is next to the wild types of taro, arising new questions about this subject.

It is not easy to explain the presence of the wild taros in Cuba, since their recognized center of origin is in the Southeast Asian and they are native from rivers or courses of water, in humid tropical forests, being many cultivars adapted to different ecological niches, as swamps, irrigated areas or flooded, conditioned by the man's constant selection (Mattews, 1997).

The possible hypotheses on the presence of the wild taro in Cuba are the following: 1) That are clones escaped from cultivation, from rural areas where taro is cultivated, and during many years (more than 400 years), as a result of the microevolution, stoloniferous mutations were arose, with an appropriate adaptation to that watering habitat, mainly in aquatic and semi-acuatic conditions. 2) That man found taro plants in the water, and later he adapted them to the terrestrial habitat.

That is to say that man's selection could have been made in two directions: from aquatic habitats to terrestrial ones, and viceversa, from terrestrial habitats to aquatic ones. The most probable thing is that the adaptation to aquatic habitats is a re-adaptation; i.e., from aquatic habitat the species has adapted, in a natural way, by means of seed dispersion, or from the transference of tubers by man to the soil, and then it escapes from cultivation and re-adapted spontaneously to water habitats. Another approach is a re-adaptation, mediated by man, intensively cultivating them in marshy, irrigated or flooded areas. On the other hand, an introduction of a wild taro, is not very probable, since in other places of the country, collections of taro’s stoloniferous forms have not been reported, neither in the formers collections (Roig, 1913), neither in the current national collections. Finally, if it is assumed that this wild taro originated in Cuba, it will arise a great polemics, since no botanist has accepted an American origin for Colocasia esculenta, not even for the recognizes botanical varieties.

The combination of the first two hypothesis are the most right ones, keeping in mind the center of origin accepted for this species. Since the introduction of taro in Cuba up to its domestication, a new variability has been generated due to the interaction of different factors, like the vegetative reproduction, together to man's selection, the inability of some clones for emitting inflorescences, the sterility, the autopoliploidy, the genomic partition and the structural changes in the chromosomes (Rodríguez-Manzano & Fundora-Mayor, 2002).

All the plants of the collected wild taro type, presented stolons (Fig. 6) that surpassed more than a meter long in some cases, mainly when the plants were on the rocky bed of the river, in places where soil exists.

7 The collected plants in the sandy bed of the river, or among the rocks, or even in the rocky bed of the river, possessed stolons and many lengthened roots; the petioles, the sheaths and the limbo for the upper face and for the back, are of green color. The pulp of the corms and stolons are of white color; they were buds and roots rosy and white, in different collected plants. Inflorescences were not observed, neither in their natural environment, neither under field conditions, after 15 months of having cultivated.

When sowing these plants in the field, they maintained the presence of stolons; in the first months of cultivation, these were developed superficially on the soil, and after five months, they began to go into the soil and to develop new plants.

The palatability tests carried out, allowed to classify them as “delicious”, being possible to consume stolons as well as corms. These results coincide with the surveys carried out to the peasants from the area where the wild taro grows in a natural way, who reported that in the “special period” they used the wild plants from the river, to eat them, and also to feed domestic animals.

The discovery of the of wild type taro in Cuba, in eastern region, opens new research perspectives, since up to this moment this region of the country was the one which has the smallest variability along the years. So, this region becomes into an important refuge of new variability. Other aspects on the introduction of taro in the Caribe can be clarified with molecular studies, in comparison with clones from different parts of the world.

The Ministry of the Agriculture of Cuba has within its objectives the conservation and use of taro for people’s nutrition, among other species of this group (Ministry of Agriculture, 1999), so the results of this work contribute to the successful development of this crop.

• Conclussions 1. Taro productions in Cuba have diminished due to the economic constraints that are going on in the country in the last years; a stable increment is appreciated, due to a modest economic recovery of the sector, supported by the use of new strategies. 2. Investigations carried out on the ex situ collections, and on the in situ conservation of taro by the peasants through their use, allow to trace new strategies to avoid genetic erosion of the existent variability of taro in Cuba, as well as to support the production programs and genetic improvement of this species. 3. It is reported, for the first time in Cuba, the presence of a wild stoloniferous type of taro in the eastern region, that opens new approaches on the introduction and evolution of this species in the Caribe. 4. The obtaining of new international financement will allow to promote new expeditions, for supporting the in situ conservation of this species in different areas, as well as an increase of the production of this cultivation in urban and periurbano areas, that will help to solve the urban people’s alimentary safety, which comprises at the present time, 76% of the total Cuban population.

• Referentes

1. Castiñeiras, L; Z. Fundora; T. Shagarodsky, V. Fuentes, O. Barrios, V. Moreno, P. Sánchez, A. V. González, A. Martínez-Fuentes, M. García & A. Martínez (2000). La conservación in situ de la variabilidad de plantas de cultivo en dos localidades de Cuba. Revista del Jardín Botánico, Universidad de la Habana, Vol. XXI, No. 1, 25-45. 8 2. Eyzaguirre, P. & J. W. Watson (2002): Home gardens and agrobiodiversity: an overview across regions. In: J.W. Watson & P. Eyzaguirre Eds. Home gardens and in situ conservation of plant genetic resources in farming systems. Proceedings of the Second International Home Gardens Workshop, 17-19 July 2001, Witzenhausen, federal Republic of Germany: 10-13. 3. Esquivel, M.; Knüpffer & K. Hammer (1992). Inventory of the Cultivated Plants. In: Hammer, K; M. Esquivel & H. Nupffer (eds) “... y tienen faxones y favos muy diversos de los nuestros...” Origin, Evolution and Diversity of Cuban Plant Genetic Resources, Inst. Pflanzengenetiku Kulturpflanzenforsch. Gatersleben. Vol: 2, Chapter 14, 454p. 4. Fundora-Mayor, Z., L. Castiñeiras, T. Shagarodsky, O. Barrios, L. Fernández, V. Moreno, R. Cristóbal, A. Rodríguez-Manzano, M. García, F. Hernández, C. Giraudy, V. Fuentes, P. Sánchez, A. Valiente & A. B. González (2003). Percepción local de la diversidad infraespecífica de las especies presentes en los huertos caseros de tres zonas de Cuba. Memorias del V Encuentro de Agricultura Orgánica, La Habana (in press) 5. GNAU (2003). Lineamientos para los subprogramas de la Agricultura Urbana para el año 2003 y Sistema Evaluativo. Grupo Nacional de Agricultura Urbana. Ministerio de la Agricultura, Agrinfor, 96p. ISBN: 959-246-066-3 6. Ivancic, A. & V. Lebot (2000). The genetics and breeding of taro. CIRAD Publications Services, 194p. 7. Quintero Fernández, S.; A. Rodríguez Nodals; A. Rodríguez Manzano; R. H. Maribona; M. López; S. Pérez; M. Cala; M. Proenza; A. J. Rodríguez; Z. Fundora; E. L. Peralta; H. Olivera; D. Pérez; O. Pérez; N. Morales; D. Mojena & A. Socorro (1999). Recuperación del cultivo de la malanga (Xanthosoma spp.) mediante procedimientos biotecnológicos. CONVENCION TROPICO/99 (Agricultura Tropical) PSM. Soft Cal. No 16. 8. Manso. (2001). Informes sobre las producciones de malanga isleña en Cuba. MINAGRI, La Habana, Cuba. 9. Matthews, P. J. (1997). Field guide for wild-type taro, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott. Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter, 110: 41-48. 10. Mederos, V.; Magaly García, O. Cabrera, J. López, J. De La C. Ventura, Diosdada Gálvez & M. Álvarez. (1995). Optimización de la tecnología de micropropagación de la malanga. Avances en Biotec. Mod: 3, II-18. 11. Milián, M.; I. Sánchez; M. García; S. Rodríguez; D. Guerra; J. M. Portieles; M. Hernández; A. Corrales; M.A. Lago; J. García & M. Oliva. (2001). Nuevos clones de malanga isleña (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott en Cuba. Revista Centro Agrícola, No 4, Año 28, Oct-Dic, 47-54. 12. Ministerio de la Agricultura (MINAGRI). (1998). Instructivo técnico sobre el cultivo de la malanga. SEDARI/AGRINFOR. Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba. 24p. 13. Ministerio de la Agricultura (MINAGRI). (1999). Informe sobre Situación Actual de los Recursos Genéticos en el Ministerio de la Agricultura de Cuba, 20p. 14. Rodríguez Manzano A. (2001). Conservación y manejo de las plantas de reproducción asexual. Raíces, rizomas y tubérculos. En: Z. Fundora, L. Castiñeiras & L. Fernández. (Eds). Lecciones de avanzada sobre conservación y manejo de Recursos Fitogenéticos. Editociones INIFAT. Capítulo 21, 255-272p., La Habana. ISBN. 959-7121-05-0. 15. Rodríguez Manzano A., Adolfo Rodríguez & María I. Román (1994). Colocasia. In: Hammer, K; M. Esquivel and H. Knüpffer. (edd), “...Y tienen faxones y fabas muy diversos 9 de los nuestros...” Origin, evolution and diversity of Cuban Plant Genetic Resources, Inst. Pflanzengenetiku. Kulturpflanzenforsch. Gatersleben. Vol: 3, 629-636p. 16. Rodríguez Manzano, A.; A. A. Rodríguez Nodals, Z. Fundora Mayor & Leonor Castiñeiras Alfonso (1999). Diversidad de la malanga isleña Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott en Cuba. II. Órganos foliares. Revista Jardín Botánico. Univ. Habana. XX, 105-119. 17. Rodríguez Manzano A., A. Rodríguez Nodals & S. Quintero Fernández (2000). Caracterización de germoplasma y mejoramiento participativo en especies de raíces y tubérculos tropicales y musáceas en Cuba. Fitomejoramiento Participativo en América latina y el Caribe. Programa de Investigación Participativa y Análisis de Género del GCIAI (Programa PRGA) http: // www.prgaprogram.org/prga. ISBN 958-694-031-4. 18. Rodríguez Manzano, A.; A. A. Rodríguez Nodals, M. I. Román Gutiérrez, Zoila Fundora Mayor & Leonor Castiñeiras (2001). Morphological and isozymatic variability of taro Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott germplasm in Cuba. Plant Genetics Resources. No 126: 31- 40. Also in: In: Makoto Nakatani and Katsumi Komaki (Eds). Potential of root crops for food and industrial resources. Twelfth Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops (ISTRC), Sep. 10-16, 2000, Tsukuba Japan. 534-543. Organizing committee of ISTRC2000, Copyright © 2002. 19. Rodríguez Manzano A. & A. Rodríguez Nodals (2002). Diversidad de la malanga isleña Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott en Cuba. III Inflorescencias. Revista Jardín Botánico. Univ. Habana. XXIII, No. 1, 119-126. 20. Rodríguez Manzano A. & Zoila Fundora Mayor (2002). Variability of “malanga isleña” Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott in Cuba. Procicaribe News. No. 10., Abril, 16p. http://www.procicaribe.org/main/main/news/pn-2002-04.pdf 21. Rodríguez Manzano, A.; A. A. Rodríguez Nodals, M. I. Román Gutiérrez, Z. Fundora Mayor, L. Castiñeiras Alfonso & María J. Manzano Figueredo (2002). Metodología para la caracterización de germoplasma y variabilidad infraespecífica de Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott en Cuba. CENDA. La Habana. Registro de obra protegida: 08509-8509. 22. Rodríguez Manzano, A.; S. Quintero Fernández; A. J. Rodríguez Mansito & Zoila Fundora Mayor (2003). Establecimiento in vitro de ápices de malanga (Xanthosoma sagittifolium Schott). Cultivos Tropicales. INCA. No 3. 23. Rodríguez Nodals, A. (1984). Mejoramiento Genético de los Cultivos de Raíces y Tubérculos Tropicales en la República de Cuba. Tesis de Doctor en Ciencias Biológicas). Godollo, Hungría, 232p. 24. Rodríguez Nodals, A.; F. Batlomovna; M. García; M. Hernández; M. Lima; V. Mederos; J. A. Pino; S. Quintero; S. Rodríguez & A. Morales. (1990). Recomendaciones para la multiplicación de propágalos en viandas tropicales, IDP, La Habana, 37p. 25. Rodríguez Nodals A., A. Rodríguez Manzano, A. Sánchez Iglesias, A. Prats Pérez, A. Rodríguez Manzano, J. Fresneda Buides, M. I. Benítez Alzola, M. Carrión Ramírez, N. Fraga Aguirre, O. Barrios Govín, R. Avilés Pacheco, S. Quintero Fernández, T. H. Chavéz Rojas & Laura Muñoz De Con (2002a). Manual Técnico para la Producción de Semillas en la Agricultura Urbana. II. Hortalizas y Propágulos. INIFAT- GNAU- PNUD, La Habana, 80p. 26. Rodríguez Nodals, A., A. Rodríguez Manzano, A. Rodríguez Manzano, S. Quintero Fernández & A. Sánchez Iglesias (2002b). Tecnología para los Huertos Intensivos de Raíces Tuberosas y Rizomas Tropicales. GNAU-MINAGRI, La Habana, 16p. 27. Roig, J. T. (1913). Las especies y variedades de malanga cultivadas en Cuba. Stgo. de las Vegas: E. A. 21.

10 28. Roig, J. T. (1965). Diccionario botánico de nombres vulgares cubanos. Vol. 2. Ed. Pueblo y Educación, La Habana. 949p.

11

Fig. 1. Taro field in the Sierra Maestra slopes.

Fig. 2. Taro plants in a vertical position, nearby the water fall.

12

Fig. 3. Taro plants on the calcareous rocks.

13

Fig. 4. Taro plants on soil, among calcareous rocks.

Fig 5. Taro plants along the sandy river bed.

14

Fig. 6. Detail of the stolons

15