Evaluation of Tropical Leaf Vegetables in the Virgin Islands

Tropical leaf vegetables are grown in the tropics and are rich sources of nutrients, particularly minerals, and vitamins (Oomen and Grubben 1978). A number of species and cultivars have been introduced and grown in the continental US on a limited-scale, particularly in the southern region (Lamberts 1993). The US is a major market for tropical and specialty greens and most of the shipments come from the Caribbean and Latin America. For example, in 1998, total US imports for dasheen leaves (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott, Araceae) was over 90 t. From this total, 70% came from Jamaica and 30% from the Dominican Republic (Pearrow 1991). In the same year, the US imported amaranthus (Amaranthus spp. L., Amaranthaceae) at 27 t from the same countries. In 1988, shipments of Oriental, Mexican, tropical, and exotic produce, including specialty leafy greens, accounted for about 5% of fresh vegetable shipments, whereas in previous years the volumes have been too low to track (Cook 1990; Lamberts 1990, 1993). There are several reasons for the increasing demand of tropical and specialty leafy greens in the US. Growth in ethnic populations contributes to demand for product diversity within the produce section (Cook 1990) and food, previously considered ethnic or regional in nature is increasingly being consumed by a broader portion of the population. This trend will likely continue as the ethnic population continues to grow and more Americans become familiar with and develop the taste for the new crops. This research study is undertaken with the following objectives: (1) collect and describe growth characteristics of minor tropical leaf vegetables; and (2) evaluate yield performance and commercial potentials in the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean.