Taro (Colocasia Esculenta (L.) Schott) in the Atolls and Low Islands of Micronesia

Abstract

In comparison to Cyrtospenna chamissonis, Pandanus tectorius, and breadfruit (Artocapus altitis and A. mariennensis), the significance and cultivation of Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott in the atolls and low islands of Micronesia are not well known. In some atolls, the species is represented by many cultivars. The changeover in these varieties is sometimes rapid. The productivity of Colocasia taro in the atolls is not well documented. This paper considers the geographic distribution and cultural ecology of Colocasia esculenta with respect to the atoll environment. The cultivation of Colocasia esculenta, problems posed by the atoll environment and the impacts of socio-economic change, and the significance of cultivar diversity are discussed. This study is based on observations, fieldwork, and a review of the literature.