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GREEN-Seeds.com
vegetables & herbs
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Copyright
© 1998
JICAMA
BY
DR. MARTIN L. PRICE
Published 1983
Jicama
(Pachyrrhizus erosos) is a short-lived perennial, often grown as
an annual, leguminous climbing vine, which during short days flowers,
produces long pods, and develops tuberous roots. These are few in number
per plant, spherical, but often lobed, and weigh up to two kilograms (4
pounds) per plant. The flesh of the root is white and crisp, even after
cooking, and is covered with a tan cortex, easily removed by peeling.
Jicama
is excellent for commercialization where markets exist, a useful home-grown
crop for varying the diet, and a novelty vegetable for special uses because
of its crispness.
ITS USES
Jicama produces a tuberous
root somewhat similar in shape to a turnip, which is eaten raw, partially
cooked, or completely cooked as a snack food, or as a somewhat starchy staple.
This is a favorite food in Mexico and some parts of South East Asia and
the Philippine Islands where it is appreciated for its crispness and sweet,
starchy flavor. It is becoming popular in the USA and can now be found in
larger grocery stores all over the country. Retail prices average $0.99
to $1.25 per pound. Furthermore, yields are heavy and it is easy to produce.
Jicama is used almost
exclusively for the tuber, although the very young pods are sometimes used
as a cooked vegetable. Mature seeds contain rotenone and cannot be eaten.
When used raw, the cortex of the tuber is peeled away and the root is sliced.
The slices can be eaten raw, sometimes with sauce, and are often combined
in a mixed green or fruit salad. As a cooked vegetable, the root can be
cooked with or without peeling, and used as a principle starchy vegetable,
or sliced or diced and combined with other ingredients in soups or stews.
Their crispness makes them useful as substitutes for Chinese water chestnuts
or bamboo shoots. They retain this crispness upon cooking, especially if
added later than the rest of the ingredients. Large or old tubers can be
extracted for starch by grinding and settling out (sinking) in water. The
fiber of the tough stem can be used as a cord, or for weaving fish nets.
When used as a vegetable
dish or staple food, the jicama root adds a large amount of starch, a medium
amount of protein and sugar, and a small amount of vitamin C to the diet.
CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS
Jicama grows during
hot weather and has a moderate water requirement. It is highly flexible
with respect to its tolerance of soils. The vines may produce more with
trellising, but this is never done at ECHO and yields have been quite adequate.
Jicama can be grown in most tropical situations and in the Temperate Zone
where summers are long.
Tuberous root development
is initiated by short days. We have planted seed at several times of the
year here at ECHO in SW Florida. Regardless of planting date, tubers were
not formed until days became very short, around December. For this reason,
it is unlikely that jicama can be grown commercially in the USA except in
southern Florida and perhaps southern Texas. For maximum size harvest was
usually done in January and February. Vines planted in early spring were
so vigorous by the time short days gave the signal to produce tubers that
very large, distorted tubers burst from the ground. Tubers from seeds planted
in May and June had the best combination of large size and good appearance.
Seeds planted in August gave apple size tubers, though the taste and crispness
were superior.
Jicama normally is planted
from seed which are large and produced in adequate numbers. They can also
be planted from the perennial tuberous roots. This technique is particularly
valuable in improving yields by selection.
The seed are planted
in normally loosened soil, 1/2 inches deep, in rows about 6 inches (15 cm)
apart with sufficient space between rows for construction and maintenance
of the trellises, if desired, (1-3 meters). They can be grown without fertilizers,
but grow better and yield more when fertilized. Fertilizer should be high
in phosphorous, and low in nitrogen and potassium. Planting is done during
lengthening days (spring), and tuberization occurs during shortening days
5-9 months later. Seeds can be saved, if the plant is not dug up for harvesting
tubers until the seeds are dry.
The foliage and seeds
contain rotenone, a natural insecticide. Plants suffer from few pests.
The tuberous roots are
harvested when examination shows them to be large enough. Early harvest
yields watery, succulent tuberous roots. Late harvest yields roots, much
higher in starch and less sweet. Overall yields per hectare are large, 40-50
metric tons or more. After digging, the stems are removed, the roots are
cleaned by hand or washed, and are then marketed. The roots can be stored
several weeks at normal room temperatures, or several months when stored
in the refrigerator. Longer storage is achieved by delaying harvest.
SOURCES OF SEED
ECHO can provide, garden size packets of jicama seed upon request to development
workers and overseas scientists ($2.50 to all others). Sorry, we cannot
offer larger quantities. The only commercial suppliers of Jicama seed we
are aware of in North America are:
Nicholas Garden Nursery, Albany, OR 97321 and
J.S. Tinajero, Semillas Para Siembra, Calle Netzahualcoyotl, No. 137, 06080
MEXICO
ECHO, 17391 Durrance Rd., North Ft. Myers FL 33917, USA
Phone:
(941) 543-3246; Fax: (941) 543-5317
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Green - Seeds Co., Ltd.
81/10B Ho Van Hue Street, Phu Nhuan District, Ward 9, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 (8) 847 6901 - Fax: +84 (8) 844 1392 - Email: info@green-seeds.com
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