• 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.

• 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.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.48-69
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• 2001

A lot of clones of the genus Dioscorea have been introduced from some tropical and subtropical regions since 1997. In 33 clones of water yams (Dioscorea alata L.), some morphological characteristics were investigated at the field. Variation ranges of the total weight and tuber number per stump were within the ranges from 90 to 2,147 g with an average of 610 g ; and 1.3-4.7 with an average of 2.8, respectively. The color tones observed on the tuber-flesh were sorted into 3 color-categories, i.e., white, pale brown and pale purple, and those on leaves were sorted into 3 color-categories, i.e., green, heavy green and purplish green. Intraspecific genetic relationship of 19 variation types of the Yam classified by their external morphological characteristics such as leaf and tuber shape was assessed by DNA using random and specific primers. Twenty two out of 113 primers (100 random[10-mer] primers, two 15 mer [M13 core sequence, and (GGAT)4 sequence]) had been used in PCR-amplification. Only 12 primers, however, were successful in DNA amplification in all of the analyzed plants, resulting in 93 randomly and specifically amplified DNA fragments. The analyzed taxa showed very high polymorphisms(69 bands, 71.0%), allowing individual taxon to be identified based on DNA fingerprinting. Monomorphic bands among total amplified DNA bands of each primer was low under the 50%. Similarity indices between accessions were computed from PCR(polymerase chain reaction) data, and genetic relationships among intraspecific variations were closely related at the levels ranging from 0.66 to 0.90.

• Plant Resources
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2000

Intraspecific genetic relationship of 19 variation types of the Yam (Dioscorea alata) classified by their external morphological characteristics such as leaf and tuber shape were assessed by DNA using random and specific primer. Twenty two out of 113 primers (100 random[10-mer] primers, two 15 mer [M13 core sequence, and (GGAT)$_4$ sequence]) had been used in PCR-amplification. Only 12 primers, however, were success in DNA amplification in all of the analyzed plants, resulting in 93 randomly and specifically amplified DNA fragments. The analyzed taxa showed very high polymorphisms(69 bands, 71.0 %), allowing individual taxon to be identified based on DNA fingerprinting. Monomorphic bands among total amplified DNA bands of each primer was low under the 50%. Similarity indices between accessions were computed from PCR(polymerase chain reaction) data, and genetic relationships among intraspecific variations were closely related at the levels ranging from 0.66 to 0.90. These DNA data were not matched well with those of morphological characters since they were divided into two major groups at the similarity coefficient value of 0.70. Therefore, Grouping of species into variation types by mainly morphological charactistics was suggested unreasonable.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.268-275
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to confirm the possibility of using Korean purple yam (Dioscorea alata) as proximate composition, material, and antioxidant activity. In the proximate composition of the freeze-dried purple yam powder, the carbohydrate content was the highest at 86.67%, and in minerals, potassium showed the highest content at 1,765.69 mg/100 g. To study the antioxidant activity of purple yam, distilled water and 70% ethanol were used as extraction solvents. The total polyphenol, total flavonoid, and total anthocyanin contents were 1.3~1.6 times higher in 70% ethanol extract, than in the distilled water extract. As a result of ORAC, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, SOD activity, and reducing power, the 70% ethanol extract showed higher antioxidant activity than the distilled water extract in all results. As a result of freeze-drying purple yam and measuring antioxidant activity by extraction solvents, it is concluded that purple yam can contribute to the food industry as a natural antioxidant and health functional material.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.87-91
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.11b
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• pp.24-24
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• 2001

• 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.