Performance of Yam (Dioscorea spp.) Varieties in East-Central Puerto Rico

The highest yielding yam cultivar in a yield trial planted at the Corozal Substation in east-central Puerto Rico was Seal Top (Dioscorea alata). It produced an estimated yield of 40.17 metric tons/ha (358.66 cwt/acre). The cultivar yielding least was Guinea amarillo (D. cayennenis) which produced 9.373 metric tons/ha (83.69 cwt/acre). Besides producing high yield when compared with locally planted cultivars, the tubers of Seal Top, Barbados and Smooth Statia are ovoid without attached roots, thus suitable for mechanical harvesting. Farm Lisbon and Hunte tubers are bifurcate and unsuitable for mechanical harvesting. There is little local market demand for tubers of this type of yam.