KLÁSKOVÁ T., FERNANDÉZ C.E.
Abstract
Cultivation of root and tuber crops has a very long tradition and history in the Andean region. However thanks to global
warming, change of life style, deforestration, walk out of young people from villages, international seed business concerns
as well as the tendency to uniformity, the genetic erosion is becoming increasing problem. An intensively endangered genus
is a group of neglected root and tuber crops of the Andean region, which includes traditionally cultivated and processed
crops adjusted to very specifi c climatic conditions of the Andean region. One of those plants is Mirabilis expansa.
In spite of rich nutritional value and other splendid properties, there is very limited use of mauka. In this moment there are
two introductions of mauka to Europe – to the Czech Republic and Belgium. The aim is to fi nd out if it is possible to cultivate
mauka in the Central European climatic conditions. If so, mauka would be cultivated as a new kind of vegetable and would
increase diversity of available vegetables on the European market. In addition mauka could be interesting even as a fodder
because of its high conversion of feed nutrients. Currently there is very limited source of information concerning mauka,
therefore there is need to continue in the research.
Key words:
Mirabilis expansa, neglected crop, unbalanced diet, Andean region