Disease in Potato

Potato

Booklet No. 99

Vegetable Production: VPS - 8

Contents

Preface

I. Introduction

II. Soil

III. Climate

IV. Varieties

V. Seed and Sowing

VI. Manures and Fertilizers

VII. Water Management

VIII. Earthing

IX. Weed Control

X. Crop Rotation

XI. Potato in Different Cropping Systems

XII. Insect Pests and Diseases

XIII. Seed Production

XIV. Harvesting and Yield

XV. Grading, Marketing and Storage

XVI. Uses and Composition

XVII. Economics of Cultivation

Preface

Cultivation of potato has assumed a great significance in Indian agriculture because of its handsome contribution to the national economy. Besides, potato is a short duration crop which fits well in high intensity cropping system, thus, ensuring a higher income to the farmers and increased resource (land, labour, etc.) utilization. This booklet describes potato cultivation in detail.

Dr. K. T. Chandy, Agricultural & Environment Education

I. Introduction

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is one of the most important food crops of the world. Potato is a crop which has always been the poor man's friend-. Potato is being cultivated in India for last more than 300 years. For vegetable purpose, it has become one of the most popular crop in the country.

Potato is the most useful and important member of the family Solanaceae and it belongs to the genus Solanum. Genus Solanum consists of 7 cultivated and about 154 wild species but the commercially viable potato has only two species: Solanum andigenum and S. tuberosum. The latter is the most commonly cultivated species. The edible portion of potato is its tuber which is morphologically an underground stem.

The probable centre of origin of potato is in South America in the Central Andean region. These are evidence that potatoes were cultivated for centuries by South American Indians and tubers were used as common article of the food. Potato plants were brought into continental...