Micropropagation of Cubio (Tropaeolum tuberosum R & P)

Tropaeolum belongs to the family Tropaeolaceae, that includes about 100 species. It takes its name from the Greek word τρωπαLov = trophy, in allusion to the armor of ancient knights-errant. Leaves from some species look like shields and the longstalked, solitary and occasionally double flowers are orange to scarlated in color. Smaller than those of the garden nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus). They are distributed throughout the neotropical region from Mexico to Brazil and Argentina. Cubio (Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruiz and Pavon 1802) is the most important species because it produces edible tubers (Fig. 1), which are consumed by inhabitants of the Andean regions.