Taro ( Colocasia esculenta) is an important traditional vegetable crop throughout the h i l ls and plains of Nepal. It is generally grown on marginal land of almost all households by different ethinic groups for its nutritious leaves, petioles, flowers and tubers either in fresh or processed form. Taro cultivars are generated and selected by farmers and they are the main custodians of both genetic and cultural diversity. Though the crop is common in both home garden as well as larger agro-ecosytem, it is uniquely adapted to home garden conditions where the crop provides the need of food security. Different types of taro are cultivated for the use of different parts and accordi ng to relative use val ue, farmers use local name annexing karkalo or pidalu . Considering the separate names given by farmers and phenotypic look of tubers there is need for further identification test using farmers' perception, agromorphologic traits and isozyme test.

Taro ( Colocasia esculenta) is an important traditional vegetable crop throughout the h i l ls and plains of Nepal. It is generally grown on marginal land of almost all households by different ethinic groups for its nutritious leaves, petioles, flowers and tubers either in fresh or processed form. Taro cultivars are generated and selected by farmers and they are the main custodians of both genetic and cultural diversity. Though the crop is common in both home garden as well as larger agro-ecosytem, it is uniquely adapted to home garden conditions where the crop provides the need of food security. Different types of taro are cultivated for the use of different parts and accordi ng to relative use val ue, farmers use local name annexing karkalo or pidalu . Considering the separate names given by farmers and phenotypic look of tubers there is need for further identification test using farmers' perception, agromorphologic traits and isozyme test.