Worldwide, the potato is the third most important food crop, after rice and wheat, in terms of human consumption. As a foodstuff, potato has widespread acceptance across cultures and social classes. More than a billion people worldwide eat potato, and global total crop production exceeds 300 million metric tons. A growing world population heightens the threat of increase in hunger rate and the associated search for food security. This is best illustrated by the case of China, which is now the world’s largest consumer of potatoes. Furthermore they expect that potatoes will provide 50% of the increased food production needed to meet demand during the next 20 years.

1. Vegetable Crops –PLSC 451/551
Lecture 11, Irish or White Potato
Instructor:
Dr. Stephen L. Love
Aberdeen R & E Center
1693 S 2700 W
Aberdeen, ID 83210
Phone: 397-4181 Fax: 397-4311
Email: slove@uidaho.edu

3. Idaho
Potato
Field –
Modern
Intensive
Production

4. Organic/
Market
Garden
Production

5. Ecuador –
Subsistence
Production

7. Potato
Taxonomy
Dicotyledon
Family: Solanaceae
Genus and species: Solanum tuberosum
gp tuberosum
gp andigena
Related species:
tomato, pepper, tobacco, nightshade

8. Potato
andigena characteristics:
Short-day adapted
Extremely variable
Some high in alkaloids

9. Potato
tuberosum characteristics:
Day-neutral
Narrow genetic base
Market-based variability
Low in alkaloids

10. Potato
Domestication
Harvested and/or cultivated in the Peruvian Andes
10,000 years ago
Spread to most of South America by 1000 AD
Imported into Europe by Spanish around 1570
Brought to North America from Europe around 1720
Spread to much of the world by 1800
(Became popular because of ability to survive war)

12. Potato
South AmericanVarieties
Derived from several local wild species

13. Potato
North American and World Varieties
Derived from European accessions (late 1700s)

14. Potato
Use and importance
Ranks as 4th most important food crop (most
important of dicots)
Dry matter production/unit area exceeds
wheat, barley and maize
World production is nearly 30 million mt

15. World Production – Modern Intensive

16. World Production – Total

18. Potato
Consumer use
Industrial countries
30% of
production
Fresh market
boiled, fried and baked products for home and
restaurant use

19. Potato
Consumer use
Industrial countries
60% of
production
Processed
french fries and other frozen/fried products, potato
chips, dehydrated products, canned, starch
products, other

20. Potato
Consumer use
Developing countries
Fresh preparation
boiled and fried for home use

21. Potato
Consumer use
Developing countries
Processed
Home-made potato flour products, glass noodles,
tunta and chuno

22. Potato
Making chuno and tunta

23. Potato
Adaptation
Climate
Cool, temperate, moist
Equatorial highlands
High deserts (irrigated)
Winter seasons in hot climates

24. Potato
Propagation
Clonal system
Seed quality
Certification

25. Potato
Production – Stand establishment
Seed preparation
cut vs whole seed
seed treatments
chitting

26. Potato
Diseases
Fungal
Bacterial
Viral
Potatoes are susceptible to many diseases at all
stages of growth and storage, making control an
important production consideration

27. Potato
Diseases
Fungal
Late blight

28. Potato
Diseases
Fungal
Verticillium wilt

29. Potato
Diseases
Fungal
Early blight

30. Potato
Diseases
Fungal
Fusarium dry rot

31. Potato
Diseases
Bacterial
Ring rot

32. Potato
Diseases
Bacterial
Soft rot

33. Potato
Diseases
Bacterial
Common scab

34. Potato
Diseases
Viral
Leafroll

35. Potato
Diseases
Viral
Potato Virus Y

36. Potato
Disease control
Fungal diseases
Fungicides, crop rotation, genetic resistance
Bacterial diseases
Sanitation, proper healing
Viral diseases
Vector control, seed certification, genetic resistance

37. Potato
Weed control
Hoeing
Mechanical cultivation
Herbicides

38. Potato
Insects
Colorado potato beetle
Green peach aphid
Wireworm
Nematodes

39. Potato
Insect Control
Natural predators
Physical methods
Insecticides

40. Potato
Harvest
Maturation
Minimizing injury

41. Potato
Postharvest handling and storage
Cooling
Wound healing

42. Potato
Storage and Quality Maintenance
Temperature
Humidity
Sprout inhibition

43. Potato
Quality
Based on:
Tuber size distribution
Tuber conformation
Overall appearance
Tuber solids (or specific gravity)
Tuber sugar content

44. Potato
Use Suitability
Best use based on tuber starch content
(specific gravity):
1.060-1.075 Boiling and canning
1.075-1.085 Baking and boiling
1.080-1.095 French frying and baking
1.085-1.100 Chipping and french frying

45. Potato – Modern Intensive
Mechanization
Expense

46. Potato – Modern Intensive
Variety Selection
Based on end use

47. Potato – Modern Intensive
Seed Management

48. Potato – Modern Intensive
Fertilization
Inorganic sources
Seasonal applications

49. Potato – Modern Intensive
Pest and weed control
Crop rotation
Pesticides
Green manures
Mechanical control

50. Potato – Modern Intensive
Storage – 12 month supply

51. Potato – Modern Intensive
Storage temperature considerations

52. Potato – Organic/Market Garden
Variety Selection
Based on:
Market preference
Resistance to pests

53. Potato – Organic/Market Garden
Seed management
Single drop seed
Certified seed
Sanitation

54. Potato – Organic/Market Garden
Fertilization
Applications of:
Organic matter
Organic supplements
Green Manures
Rotation with legumes

55. Potato – Organic/Market Garden
Disease Control
Certified seed
Genetic resistance
Avoidance (location)
Sanitation
Crop rotations
Approved fungicides

56. Potato – Organic/Market Garden
Insect Control
Exclusion
Flaming
Predators
Approved insecticides

57. Potato – Organic/Market Garden
Weed control
Avoidance
Weed bank control
Cultivation
Manual

58. Potato – Subsistence
Variety selection
Dependability
Resistance
Personal choice

59. Potato – Subsistence
Seed management
Whole seed
Short dormancy
Return planting

60. Potato – Subsistence
Pest management
Use of land races
Elimination

61. Potato – Subsistence
Storage
Clamp systems
Home processing
Ground storage