10 against pests has also proven effective in protecting companion crops interspersed with it. This “repellent quality” validates its consideration for organic/bio operations where keeping the cost of production down is always of great importance. Despite these advantages, mashua is a marginalized crop in its homelands, in part because it is equated with poverty. Not even in Peru and Bolivia, where it has a very long history of consumption, is it eaten by all social classes. Aside from being a “poor man’s food”, some men in the Andes avoid eating it, because it is rumoured to be an anaphrodisiac or, in other words, an inhibitor of sexual potency. Tradition has it that the Incas themselves had identified this characteristic of mashua and used it abundantly in their soldiers’ meals in order to avoid “distractions” and promote dedication to army life. It is likely that famines occurred in the past, and that mashua for its productiveness was one of the only foods eaten, resulting in over-consumption by men – hence reduced libidos – hence the modern stigma. It is most unlikely that European male consumers will suffer the plight of being force-fed such large quantities of mashua that their desires are dampened! If eaten raw, the tuber is quite spicy due to the content of p-methoxybenzyl isothiocyanate, the taste resembling that of a hot radish or even horseradish. However, by boiling it, the spicy element is minimized and mashua becomes almost sweet. It is utilized in a wide variety of dishes, from soups, stews and pickles to deserts. In a recent development project, conducted under the auspices and funding of the Global Environmental Fund, the native Andean populations worked on developing products with better market outreach and oca and mashua were processed into delicious jams and chocolates. Nutritionally, mashua contains more protein than oca, with values ranging between 6.9 and 15.7 %. It also is rich in carbohydrates and contains Vitamin C. Conditions for growth Like oca, mashua is propagated by tubers. It is estimated that 31,000 to 48,000 plants can be sown on one hectare of land. The soil Ph requirements vary between 5.3 and 7.9. Intercropping with potatoes, squash or corn works very well. Being a climber, growers may consider a support system for the Tropaeolum tuberosum plants, although this is not an imperative. The planting season in Europe occurs in April and harvesting usually takes place 6-9 months later. In natural habitat, it is found at cool, moist, high altitude places, indicating that it has a certain tolerance to cold weather conditions. It can withstand minimum temperatures of -5°C and a maximum around 20-23°C. As for its water needs, in natural habitat it receives anywhere between 700 and 1600 mm/year. These figures should be taken as the point of reference in determining whether irrigation is necessary or not. The yield/ha for mashua cultures varies with the labour techniques, the density of the plants/unit of space and the amount of fertilizer. Pagina 19
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