This chapter focuses on crop production, food supply, origin and distribution, primary product, and starch content of tuber crops including cassava, sweet potatoes, yams and taro, among others.

This book chapter outlines the extraction and purification, physiochemical properties (i.e. biochemical characteristics, amylose and amylopectin content), structural properties (i.e. granule morphology, XRD and starch crystallinity, structure of amylose and amylopectin), functional properties (i.e. ...

This chapter outlines the modification of tuber starches, the properties of modified starches, and the possible areas of application. The nature of modifications (physical, chemical, enzymatic, dual/triple modifications, graft polymerization) and their influence on the functional properties and...

This chapter discusses the food and non-food applications of native and modified cassava, sweet potato, aroid, yam and other (arrowroot, Curcuma, Canna edulis [Canna indica], arracacha [Arracacia xanthorrhiza]) starches. Their applications in sago production, pasta/noodles, bread, infant foods,...

This book chapter outlines the future steps in improving the status of the tropical tuber crops: (1) reduce the period of maturity of all the TTCs to 110-150 days, (2) improve the tuber shape and make them more definitive in shape, (3) improve plant architecture to attain a harvest index of 0.70,...

This second edition aims to summarize the information available on the origin, taxonomy, breeding, physiology, agronomy, pathology and processing of cassava, sweet potato, yams and aroids (including Alocasia, Amorphophallus, Colocasia, Cyrtosperma and Xanthosoma). This book is for researchers,...

This chapter focuses on the origin, domestication history and discovery of sweet potato by western explorers. Information on the present geographical distribution of sweet potatoes is also presented.

This chapter provides information on the taxonomic classification, morphological characteristics and cytology of sweet potatoes and its wild relatives.

This chapter focuses on the various objectives and selection criteria that need to be addressed for the success of sweet potato breeding. Information on the sexual reproduction, incompatibility and sterility, crossing techniques and true seed production, selection methods and programmes,...

This chapter focuses on the effects of various factors, such as photoperiod, temperature, nutrition, water deficit and stress and climate change, on the growth and development of sweet potatoes. The adaptability of various sweet potato germplasm to these factors is also discussed.