Pachyrhizus tuberosus

No ethnobotanical data added yet. Help us by writing one.

Common products:
- Fresh tuberous root sold as a vegetable in local markets.
- Dried tuberous root ground into flour.
- Starch extracted from roots for industrial uses.
- Seed oil pressed from seeds.
- Seed meal (defatted or whole) used as animal feed.
- Rotenone‑containing seed extract formulated as a natural insecticide.
- Foliage used as livestock forage.

Industrial and craft applications:
- Root starch is employed as a biodegradable film substrate, a binding agent in adhesives, and a fermentation substrate for bio‑ethanol.
- Seed oil serves as a non‑edible industrial oil and as a feedstock for biodiesel production.
- Seed extract containing rotenone is used in botanical insecticide formulations for organic agriculture.

Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
- Raw tuber sliced or shredded in salads; boiled, roasted, or sautéed in savory dishes.
- Thinly sliced tuber fried to produce crisps or chips.
- Tuber flour incorporated into gluten‑free breads, crackers, and as a thickening agent for soups and sauces.
- Tuber‑based flour has been used in traditional fermented mash preparations, without health claims.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
- Seed oil, rich in linoleic‑type fatty acids, is used as an emollient in cosmetic creams and lotions.

Properties relevant to use:
- Root starch contains a relatively high proportion of amylose (≈30–40 % of total starch), giving high viscosity and good film‑forming ability; gelatinization occurs at modest temperatures (≈65–70 °C).
- Seeds contain ∼20 % protein and ∼15–20 % oil; the oil is dominated by linoleic (≈55 %) and oleic (≈25 %) acids, providing oxidative stability.
- Rotenone concentration in seeds is reported at 0.5–2 % of dry weight, conferring insecticidal activity through inhibition of mitochondrial electron transport.
- As a legume, the plant fixes symbiotic nitrogen, contributing ∼30–50 kg N ha⁻¹ per crop cycle.

Standards and regulation:
- Fresh tuber and derived starch comply with Codex Alimentarius standards for vegetable products (CXS 193‑1995) and for starches; national food regulations (e.g., USDA‑FSA, EU Regulation 1169/2011) apply to commercial distribution.
- Rotenone extracts are registered as botanical pesticides in several jurisdictions (US EPA, EU Plant Protection Products Regulation), with prescribed residue limits and labeling requirements.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Grown on marginal soils with minimal fertilizer input; nitrogen fixation reduces the need for synthetic N fertilizers.
- Short growth cycle (≈3–4 months) permits multiple cropping seasons per year, enhancing land‑use efficiency.
- Low pesticide reliance due to natural rotenone content; harvested roots and seeds are processed locally, supporting small‑holder livelihoods.

No subspecies added yet.

No variety added yet.

No subvariety added yet.

No forms added yet.

No germination or propagation data was added yet.

No distribution data was extracted from POWO/KEW yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

No known contributors. Be the first!

In private collections	0
In public collections	0

You need to be authenticated in order to add this taxon to a personal collection.