Greater Yam: An overview of its phytochemical profile and potential for ensuring food security

Abstract

Millions of people in tropical nations rely on cultivated yams (Dioscorea spp.) as their main source ofnutrition. Even though these underutilized crops are rich in nutrients, there is a dearth of informationon them, which impedes their development and sustainability. Greater yam (D. alata) plant has medical,pharmacological, cosmetic, and industrial uses in addition to its nutritional value. Their bioactivecomponents, which include anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties, have recentlydrawn more interest in scientific investigations. This analysis aims to highlight the undervalued benefitsof yams for pharmacological applications and food security. These species differ greatly in theirmorphology with regard to the length of growing season, the types of tubers produced, the dry mattercontent of the tubers, and the nutritional and chemical components of the tubers. Nonetheless, there isa dearth of knowledge currently available about yams. As a result, we covered information regarding thebotanical description, origin and distribution, genetic resource, agronomy, pharmacological properties,nutritional values, molecular and genomic research, and future prospects regarding yams in this review