Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Several aspects of growth, development and sapogenin yield of tubers ofdioscorea spiculiflora

  • Published:
Economic Botany Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Tubers ofDioscorea spiculiflora and some characteristics of their growth are described. Original weights of tuber pieces were directly correlated to subsequent tuber growth and to numbers of nodes and leaves produced. Plants grown in peat rarely exhibited nutritional deficiency but responded to regular applications of fertilizer by great increases in shoot and tuber growth. Snpogenin analyses of tubers revealed (a) considerably higher content of sapogenins in original tuber pieces dug in Mexico than in one-and two-year-old tuber tissue developed subsequently from these pieces grown in peat in the greenhouse at Glenn Dale, Md.; (b) higher sapogenin content in the outer 1–11/2 mm layer of tubers than in the inner tissue; (e) no significant difference in sapogenin content of tissue from ventral and dorsal sides of tubers; and (d) no significant difference in sapogenin content of tubers front pistillate and staminate plants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  1. Applezweig, N. 1959. The big steroid treasure hunt. Chemical Week84(5): 37–52.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Correll, D. S., B. G. Schubert, H. S. Gentry, and W. O. Hawley. 1955. The search for plant precursors of cortisone. Econ. Bot.9(4): 307–376.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Cox, D. K., A. H. Corzo, E. Matuda, and J. G. G. Duran. 1958. Estudio de las dioscoreas mexicanas. Bol. de la Soc. Bot. de Mexico No.22:16 pp.

  4. Preston, W. H., Jr., and J. R. Haun. 1962. Factors involved in the vegetative propagation ofDioscorea spiculiflora Hemsl. from vines. Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci.80:417–429.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Preston, W. H., Jr., and J. R. Haun. 1963. Relationships of temperature and photoperiod to growth, flowering, senescence, and dormancy ofDioscorea spiculiflora Hemsl. Bot. Gaz. (In press).

  6. Wall, M. E., J. J. Willaman, T. Perlstein, D. S. Correll, and H. S. Gentry. 1957. Steroidal sapogenins XXIX. Occurrence and isolation of gentrogenin and correllogenin fromDioscorea spiculiflora. J. Amer. Pharm. Assoc. Sci. Ed. Vol.XLVI (3):155–159.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. United States Plant Introduction Station, Glenn Dale, Maryland

    W. H. Preston (Horticulturist)

  2. Crops Research Division, Chemurgic Crop Investigations, Beltsville, Md.

    J. R. Haun (Horticulturist)

  3. Plant Products Laboratory, Eastern Utilization Research and Development Division, Philadelphia, Pa.

    J. W. Garvin (Chemist)

  4. A. R. S., Biometrical Service, Beltsville, Md.

    R. J. Daum (Biometrician)

Authors
  1. W. H. Preston
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. R. Haun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. W. Garvin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. J. Daum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Preston, W.H., Haun, J.R., Garvin, J.W. et al. Several aspects of growth, development and sapogenin yield of tubers ofdioscorea spiculiflora . Econ Bot 18, 323–328 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02862718

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02862718

Keywords

Search

Navigation