Abstract
The ontogeny of the tuberous roots of yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius), an ancient Andean crop, is described for the first time along with three other wild species of Smallanthus: S. connatus, S. macroscyphus and S. siegesbeckius. Tuberous storage roots are present in the four species. Tuberization results from unusual secondary thickening. A meristematic endodermis maintains the primary cortex by generating cortex cells continuously. Secretory schizogenous canals develop adjacent to the endodermis in opposition to the phloem poles. Phellogen originates in the outer layers of the parenchymatic cortex. The four species develop a parenchymatous pith that stores mainly fructooligosacharides (FOS) and plays an important role in storing water, protecting the plant from drought stress and environmental hazards in the Andean climate. In yacon, domestication has produced a wide pith that stores water, reducing sugars and FOS with low degree of polimerization, that could have eventually made it more palatable as compared to the wild counterparts.
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Acknowledgments
Dr. Teresa Kraus made valuable contributions to the first draft. This research was supported by ANPCyT (Grant PICTO 2004-503 and PICT 2011-1871), CIUNT A26/403 and CONICET from Argentina.
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Coll Aráoz, M.V., Kortsarz González, A.M., Mercado, M.I. et al. Ontogeny and total sugar content of yacon tuberous roots and other three Smallanthus species (Heliantheae, Asteraceae), insights on the development of a semi-domesticated crop. Genet Resour Crop Evol 61, 163–172 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-013-0022-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-013-0022-0