About Dioscorea balakrishnanii:
- It is an edible tuber found in the Western Ghats region of Wayanad district of Kerala.
- It is a new species of the genus Dioscorea.
- This yam species is locally known as ‘chola kizhangu’among the Kattunayikar tribes of Wayanad. The tubers are edible when cooked and are said to have an excellent flavour
- Habitat: It is found only in the sholas of evergreen forests.
- Since there are male and female varieties, Dioscorea balakrishnanii was continuously observed for the last ten years and the differences in the flowers have been recorded.
- The Wayanad region of the Western Ghats is rich in unique wild tubers, relatives of the commonly cultivated tubers known as kachil or kavat (purple yam).
- These belong to the plant family Dioscoreaceae and 23 different forms of more than 14 species.
- Significance: The discovery of this new tuber is of significance for the conservation of unique ecosystems and unique wild relatives as well as food security and the medicinal sector.
- The species holds potential as a tuber variety for food security and cultivation as a food crop with low glycemic index.
