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 Phone: Fax:
Idaho Potato Field – Modern Intensive Production
Organic/ Market Garden Production
Ecuador – Subsistence Production
Potato Taxonomy Dicotyledon Family: Solanaceae Genus and species: Solanum tuberosum gp tuberosum gp andigena Related species: tomato, pepper, tobacco, nightshade
Potato andigena characteristics: Short-day adapted Extremely variable Some high in alkaloids
Potato tuberosum characteristics: Day-neutral Narrow genetic base Market-based variability Low in alkaloids
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)
Potato South AmericanVarieties Derived from several local wild species
Potato North American and World Varieties Derived from European accessions (late 1700s)
Potato Use and importance Ranks as 4 th 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
World Production – Modern Intensive
World Production – Total
Potato Consumer use Industrial countries 30% of production Fresh market boiled, fried and baked products for home and restaurant use
Potato Consumer use Industrial countries 60% of production Processed french fries and other frozen/fried products, potato chips, dehydrated products, canned, starch products, other
Potato Consumer use Developing countries Fresh preparation boiled and fried for home use
Potato Consumer use Developing countries Processed Home-made potato flour products, glass noodles, tunta and chuno
Potato Making chuno and tunta
Potato Adaptation Climate Cool, temperate, moist Equatorial highlands High deserts (irrigated) Winter seasons in hot climates
Potato Propagation Clonal system Seed quality Certification
Potato Production – Stand establishment Seed preparation cut vs whole seed seed treatments chitting
Potato Diseases Fungal Bacterial Viral Potatoes are susceptible to many diseases at all stages of growth and storage, making control an important production consideration
Potato Diseases Fungal Late blight
Potato Diseases Fungal Verticillium wilt
Potato Diseases Fungal Early blight
Potato Diseases Fungal Fusarium dry rot
Potato Diseases Bacterial Ring rot
Potato Diseases Bacterial Soft rot
Potato Diseases Bacterial Common scab
Potato Diseases Viral Leafroll
Potato Diseases Viral Potato Virus Y
Potato Disease control Fungal diseases Fungicides, crop rotation, genetic resistance Bacterial diseases Sanitation, proper healing Viral diseases Vector control, seed certification, genetic resistance
Potato Weed control Hoeing Mechanical cultivation Herbicides
Potato Insects Colorado potato beetle Green peach aphid Wireworm Nematodes
Potato Insect Control Natural predators Physical methods Insecticides
Potato Harvest Maturation Minimizing injury
Potato Postharvest handling and storage Cooling Wound healing
Potato Storage and Quality Maintenance Temperature Humidity Sprout inhibition
Potato Quality Based on: Tuber size distribution Tuber conformation Overall appearance Tuber solids (or specific gravity) Tuber sugar content
Potato Use Suitability Best use based on tuber starch content (specific gravity): Boiling and canning Baking and boiling French frying and baking Chipping and french frying
Potato – Modern Intensive Mechanization Expense
Potato – Modern Intensive Variety Selection Based on end use
Potato – Modern Intensive Seed Management
Potato – Modern Intensive Fertilization Inorganic sources Seasonal applications
Potato – Modern Intensive Pest and weed control Crop rotation Pesticides Green manures Mechanical control
Potato – Modern Intensive Storage – 12 month supply
Potato – Modern Intensive Storage temperature considerations
Potato – Organic/Market Garden Variety Selection Based on: Market preference Resistance to pests
Potato – Organic/Market Garden Seed management Single drop seed Certified seed Sanitation
Potato – Organic/Market Garden Fertilization Applications of: Organic matter Organic supplements Green Manures Rotation with legumes
Potato – Organic/Market Garden Disease Control Certified seed Genetic resistance Avoidance (location) Sanitation Crop rotations Approved fungicides
Potato – Organic/Market Garden Insect Control Exclusion Flaming Predators Approved insecticides
Potato – Organic/Market Garden Weed control Avoidance Weed bank control Cultivation Manual
Potato – Subsistence Variety selection Dependability Resistance Personal choice
Potato – Subsistence Seed management Whole seed Short dormancy Return planting
Potato – Subsistence Pest management Use of land races Elimination
Potato – Subsistence Storage Clamp systems Home processing Ground storage