Chayote belongs o the Family- Cucurbitácea, Subfamily- Sicyoideae, Genus- Sechium and species edule. Chayote has ten botanical varieties viz., 1) Sechium edule var. albus minor, 2) Sechium edule var. albus dulcis, 3) Sechium edule var. albus levis, 4) Sechium edule var. nigrum minor, 5) Sechium edule var. nigrum conus, 6) Sechium edule var. nigrum levis, 7) Sechium edule var. nigrum xalapensis, 8) Sechium edule var. nigrum spinosum, 9) Sechium edule var. nigrum maxima, and 10) Sechium edule var. virens levis. Chayote is known by different name in Indian regional languages such as Seema vankaya or Bengaluru vankaaya (in Telugu), Chocho or Chow Chow or Bengaluru katharikkai (in Tamil), Seeme badane, chow-chow (in Kannada). Putative wild populations of S. edule and related wild species are found in Central America, and therefore this region is most likely the centre of origin of chayote. Chayote was already a common cultivated vegetable among the Aztecs in pre-Columbian times. Chayote (Sechium edule) is cultivated throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world and utilized in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries because it is an excellent source of minerals, dietary fibers, protein, vitamins, carotenoids, polysaccharides, phenolic and flavonoid compounds, and other nutrients. In this review article origin, distribution, taxonomy (classification, species, wild types, synonyms, botanical varieties), botanical description, flower biology and pollinators, growth and development, genetic diversity, genetic resources, breeding (inter-specific and infra-specific hybridization, commercial varieties), production and international trade, uses, nutrititional value, halth benefits, and cultivation of chayote are discussed.
