 is the variety grown for food in South America, but there is no scientific evidence to substantiate the name as a separate species.It is probable that this is simply a synonym of C. "discolor", which is grown for agricultural purposes throughout South America and Asia.In the Andes, the rhizome can be harvested within 6 months from planting out and the yields range from 13 - 85 tonnes per hectare, with 22 - 50 tonnes being average, though larger yields are obtained after 8 – 10 months.