Morphology characterization of gembili (Dioscorea esculenta L.) Tanimbar, Maluku Province

Abstract

Gembili (Dioscorea esculenta L.) is a tuber of the type (clan) Dioscorea as a 27 - 37% carbohydrate producer and has a nutritional composition that varies according to species. The research was conducted from May to December 2019 in Tanimbar Island Regency, Maluku. Using the method of observation and description. The morphological character of the five local accessions showed that the characters of the same plant species were singular and striking, namely the presence of roots on the tuber surface and the location of the roots on the tuber surface. There were spines on the tuber surface, and the weight of the tubers of the five accessions averaged 1.71-2, 72 kg higher than the highest collection at the Genetic Research and Development Center for Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetic Resources, namely accessions R 506 (Lokal Tanatoraja) and R 601 (Lokal Manukan) which only weighed 1,000 g. The five accessions of the Gembili plant have the potential to be developed as an alternative food.