ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the origin and distribution, nutritional composition, medicinal values, climatic requirement, soil requirement, cultivated varieties and post-harvest management of oca. Oca is a perennial plant cultivated commercially in central and southern Andes. Oca can be cultivated even on relatively poor soils but it prefers loose and well-drained slightly acidic light soils with pH range from 5.5 to 7.5 for its higher tuber yield. Oca needs enough moisture for optimum vegetative growth and leaf production. All parts of oca plant are used as vegetable, however, the most consumable part is its tubers, which are eaten raw or cooked, sliced into sandwiches, boiled, mashed, fried, baked and steam grilled. Oca roots secret a compound Harmine, which is insecticidal and is used by the plant as an insect control due to its self-defence mechanism. Oca root weevil is the most destructive pest causing huge loss in field as well as in storage.