• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.285-292
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• 2002

This study was carried out to determine agronomic and genetic characteristics of the production process in tropical yams(Dioscorea atata L.). To make clear the possibility of cultivation of tropical yams in the Suwon area, the growth of the aboveground parts and the enlargement of tuber of Dioscorea alata, were investigated. The aboveground parts of the plants whose sprouted mother tuber were planted in late April were grown slowly until the 70-days after planting and grown rapidly after. from about 150-days after plantation, total length of vines slowly decreased due to the burning of the branch vines of lower modes. With regard to the branching progressed to 4th for the solo yam and to 6th for purple yam. The secondary branches tended to grow better. When the formation of daughter tubers was observed at the 50-days after planting, their enlargement was very slow. The rapid growth of tubers began at the 140-days and continued to the 190-days. General components such as protein, fiber, and lipid were higher in D. opposita rather than in D. alata. Hardness of D. alata was 2696.2 while that of D. opposita was 4946.9. Lightness of D. alata was 73.99, being higher than that of D. opposita.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2002

This study was carried out to determine agronomic and genetic characteristics of the production process in tropical yams(Dioscorea alata L.). To make clear the possibility of cultivation of tropical yams in the Suwon area, the growth of the aboveground parts and the enlargement of tuber of Dioscorea alata, were investigated. The aboveground parts of the plants whose sprouted mother tuber were planted in late April were grown slowly until the 70-days after planting and grown rapidly after. From about 50-days after plantation, total length of vines slowly decreased due to the burning of the branch vines of lower modes. With regard to the branching progressed to 4th for the solo yam and to 6th for purple yam. The secondary branches tended to grow better. When the formation of daughter tubers was observed at the 50-days after planting, their enlargement was very slow. The rapid growth of tubers began at the 40-days and continued to the 90-days. General components such as protein, fiber, and lipid were higher in D. opposita rather than in D. alata. Hardness of D. alata was 2696.2 while that of D. opposita was 4946.9. Lightness of D. alata was 73.99, being higher than that of D. opposita.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2002

A lot of clones of the genus Dioscorea species have been introduced from some tropical and subtropical regions since 1997. The aim of this study was to determine characteristics of the production process in yams(Dioscorea spp). By utilizing 51clones of water yams(Dioscorea spp), some morphological characteristics were investigated at the field. Intraspecific genetic relationship of 51 variation types of the Yam classified by their external morphological characteristics such as leaf and tuber shape were assessed by DNA using random and specific primers. D. Alata and D. opposita were showed different relationship between yield and the growth of their aboveground parts. This suggests that even in the same species there were differences in yield volume and translocation of assimilation products, depending on the types. D. alata were distinguished from others Dioscorea species at 62% level in AFLP analysis. Also in principal component analysis, D. alata were showed the class from II to V.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.153-159
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• 2024

Dioscorea alata L, commonly known as "tropical yam" is the most widely consumed yam species among the 650 yam species belonging to the Dioscoreacea family. It is extensively cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions and is a major food source in Africa and India. Also, it is used for medicinal purposes, particularly in China and Taiwan, for its anti-inflammatory properties. In comparison to other yam varieties such as D. batatas or D. opposita, the tropical yam has gained popularity in Korea due to its higher yield per unit area. In this study, the nutritional characteristics and anti-thrombosis activity of the aerial bulbils of D. alata L. tropical yam were compared to those of D. opposita. The results showed that the aerial bulbils of tropical yam exhibited nutritional characteristics and potent anticoagulant activity compared to those of domestic yam varieties. The bulbils extract of tropical yam showed superior anticoagulant activities against thrombin, prothrombin and blood coagulation factors. Furthermore, the bulbils extract of tropical yam exhibited strong platelet aggregation inhibition at 0.25 mg/ml and showed no hemolytic activity up to a concentration of 2.5 mg/ml. These findings suggest the potential development of high-value anti-thrombosis agents utilizing the aerial bulbils of tropical yam.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.257-279
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• 2009

Plants of genus Dioscorea have long been served as important carbohydrate-stuffed foods in the tropical and subtropical regions, and utilized as traditional herb medicines to enhance digestive function, improve anorexia, and treat diarrhea in oriental countries. It is known that around 600 species of Dioscorea are distributed in the world including 107 species in Asia, but actually utilized Dioscorea species are restricted to small numbers. Phytochemical investigations for Dioscorea species have revealed a number of chemical components such as sapogenins, saponins, phenanthrenes, stilbenes, diterpenes and purine derivatives. According to recent pharmacological studies, Dioscorea species possess significant antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities as well as anticancer, antidiabetic, cholesterol-lowering and hypolipidemic effects. Here, seven Dioscorea species (D. batatas, D. japonica, D. bulbifera, D. opposita, D. tokoro, D. nipponica and D. alata), mainly distributed and used in Korea, China, and Japan, are reviewed to provide their botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological properties were described.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.297-300
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• 2002

Endogenous ABA and batatasins were first quantified in the stored tubers and bulbils of the Chinese yam, Dioscorea opposita Thunb. cv. 'Tsukune' by GC-MS with comparison of internal standard, and sugar content was also analyzed by HPLC with comparison of external standard. Endogenous ABA content in stored tubers and bulbils was rapidly decreased as storage period prolonged. ABA content of the bulbils was always higher than that of tuber during storage periods. All batatasins of stored tubers and bulbils at 30 days after storage decreased steadily compared to 120 days after storage. On the contrary, batatasin-Ⅲ of the stored tuber and bulbils was only decreased at 60 days after storage. In Dioscorea opposita Thunb. cv. 'Tsukune' like D. japonica, D. alata, and D. bulbifera, may be controlled by endogenous batatasins and ABA, In these compounds, batatasins rather than ABA might be closely related to dormancy-inducing compound during dormancy of the Chinese yam, Dioscorea opposita Thunb. cv. Tsukune.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2005

Tuber yield and content of general component and diosgenin which is a main bioactive property were investigated in order to determine the growth characteristics of round typed yam(Dungeun-ma, Dioscorea opposita L.) and the potential of artificial culture at Suwon, Korea. Sprouting rates of segmented small tubers such as 3, 5, 7, 9, and 12g were respectively 60.3, 80.5, 85.3, 98.6 and 99.3% when they were investigated 30 days after planting. Segmented small tubers of 3, 5, 7, 9, and 12g enlarged respectively to 66, 87, 98, 120, and 140g in the green-house cultivation. Segmented small tubers of 3, 7, 12, 18, and 23g enlarged respectively to 35.2, 124.7, 142.7, 174.8, and 200,7g in the open-air field cultivation.