ABSTRACT
Tanier (Xanthosoma spp.) is a herbaceous perennial root crop that serves as an important food staple for inhabitants in some subtropical and virtually all tropical regions. Morphologically, the plant is characterized by a subterranean stem or corm enclosed by dry, scale like leaves. Secondary corms or cormels represent the edible portion of the plant whereas the main corm is used for replanting. The above-ground portion of the plant consists of four to five sagittated leaves. Because of the low research priority given to this crop in the past, the National Academy of Sciences [10] has classified it as a neglected food crop with promizing economic potential.
