Project Highlights Potential for Taro as Southeast Crop

The Utopian Seed Project received a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) On-Farm Research Grant to increase farmer and consumer awareness of taro as a viable, resilient, and versatile crop and introduce it as a mainstream crop in the Southeast. The two-year project identified several taro varieties that perform well under growing conditions in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The project delivered a production guide covering the basics of taro, the variety trials, and culinary applications, as well as a factsheet on growing taro in the Southeast, complete with farmer experiences. Both resources are available online. The variety trials revealed taro as a crop that is easy to grow, can provide good yields, and offers a low-input, insect-and disease-resilient alternative root crop.