Taro (Colocasia esculenta) Breakthrough improvements in the major grain crops have increased world food production dramatically during the last twenty seven years. The advancements in grain production, however, have not brought significant benefits to areas where root crops are the major staples. Therefore, more emphasis should be directed toward such root crops as taro, which is a staple food in many developing nations of Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott)
(dasheen). Flour made from the root crops can be partially substituted for wheat flour in the production of bread, cakes and pastries (Arenillo et al, 2012; Mongi et al, 2011; Okorie and Onyeneke, 2012;Rangel et al, 2011; Njintang et al 2008). Colocasia esculenta (L.) originated in the tropical region that spans from India to Indonesia and is now widely grown in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Region and the Caribbean (Matthews 2004, 55-71). The root crop is commonly known as dashen in the Caribbean. It was
Testing the Growth Rate of Elephant Ears (Colocasia esculenta) and Irises (Iris versicolor) INTRODUCTION Global change is taking place every day; therefore, it is important to understand how human activities and behavior alters the biodiversity and functions of ecosystems. Alien species is a stimulator of major changes in ecosystems (Vila et al. 2011). An invasive species, is a non-native plant, animal, or fungus that moves to a new ecosystem in a foreign environment. Invasive ecology explores how
better know it originates from Malaysia and India, where it grows wild in wet or dry places. The taro leaves are heart shaped with white roots that are nutty in flavour. It can cause skin irritation when peeling. Taro is also known as dasheen, colocasia esculenta and kacchalo in Punjabi. Taro is used as food, prepared the same way as potatoes. Its flour is considered good baby food because its starch is easily digestible; and it helps with digestive problems and supplements iron (Onwueme, 1999; Shange