The potato is a

starch Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human diets ...

y food, a

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...

of the

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a

root vegetable Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as food. Although botany distinguishes true roots (such as taproots and tuberous roots) from non-roots (such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers, although some contain both hypocotyl a ...

native to the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

. The plant is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

in the nightshade family

Solanaceae The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orn ...

. Wild potato

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

can be found from the southern United States to southern Chile. The potato was originally believed to have been domesticated by Native Americans independently in multiple locations,University of Wisconsin-Madison, ''Finding rewrites the evolutionary history of the origin of potatoes'' (2005

/ref> but later genetic studies traced a single origin, in the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

. Potatoes were domesticated there approximately 7,000–10,000 years ago, from a species in the '' Solanum brevicaule'' complex. Lay summary: In the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

region of South America, where the species is indigenous, some close relatives of the potato are cultivated. Potatoes were introduced to Europe from the Americas by the Spanish in the second half of the 16th century. Today they are a

staple food A staple food, food staple, or simply a staple, is a food that is eaten often and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for a given person or group of people, supplying a large fraction of energy needs and ...

in many parts of the world and an integral part of much of the world's food supply. , potatoes were the world's fourth-largest food crop after

maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...

(corn),

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

, and

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

. Following millennia of

selective breeding Selective breeding (also called artificial selection) is the process by which humans use animal breeding and plant breeding to selectively develop particular phenotypic traits (characteristics) by choosing which typically animal or plant mal ...

, there are now over 5,000 different types of potatoes. Over 99% of potatoes presently cultivated worldwide descend from varieties that originated in the lowlands of south-central Chile. The importance of the potato as a food source and culinary ingredient varies by region and is still changing. It remains an essential crop in Europe, especially Northern and Eastern Europe, where per capita production is still the highest in the world, while the most rapid expansion in production since 2000 has occurred in

southern Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...

and

eastern Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The modern State (polity), states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ...

, with China and India leading the world in overall production . Like the

tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...

, the potato is a nightshade in the genus ''Solanum'', and the vegetative and fruiting parts of the potato contain the toxin

solanine Solanine is a glycoalkaloid poison found in species of the nightshade family within the genus ''Solanum'', such as the potato (''Solanum tuberosum''), the tomato (''Solanum lycopersicum''), and the eggplant (''Solanum melongena''). It can occu ...

which is dangerous for human consumption. Normal potato tubers that have been grown and stored properly produce

glycoalkaloids Glycoalkaloids are a family of chemical compounds derived from alkaloids to which sugar groups are appended. Several are potentially toxic, most notably the poisons commonly found in the plant species ''Solanum dulcamara'' (bittersweet nightshade) ...

in amounts small enough to be negligible to human health, but, if green sections of the plant (namely sprouts and skins) are exposed to light, the tuber can accumulate a high enough concentration of glycoalkaloids to affect human health. The discovery of

acrylamide Acrylamide (or acrylic amide) is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH2=CHC(O)NH2. It is a white odorless solid, soluble in water and several organic solvents. From the chemistry perspective, acrylamide is a vinyl-substituted primary ...

s in starchy foods in 2002 led to international health concerns, but subsequent high-quality evidence showed acrylamide is not likely to cause cancer in humans.

Etymology

The English word ''potato'' comes from Spanish (the name used in Spain). The

Royal Spanish Academy The Royal Spanish Academy ( es, Real Academia Española, generally abbreviated as RAE) is Spain's official royal institution with a mission to ensure the stability of the Spanish language. It is based in Madrid, Spain, and is affiliated with ...

says the Spanish word is a hybrid of the

Taíno The Taíno were a historic Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, indigenous people of the Caribbean whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the ...

sweet potato The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the Convolvulus, bindweed or morning glory family (biology), family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a r ...

') and the Quechua ('potato'). The name originally referred to the

although the two plants are not closely related. The 16th-century English herbalist

John Gerard John Gerard (also John Gerarde, c. 1545–1612) was an English herbalist with a large garden in Holborn, now part of London. His 1,484-page illustrated ''Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes'', first published in 1597, became a popular gard ...

referred to sweet potatoes as ''common potatoes'', and used the terms ''bastard potatoes'' and ''Virginia potatoes'' for the species now known as potato. In many of the chronicles detailing agriculture and plants, no distinction is made between the two. Potatoes are occasionally referred to as ''Irish potatoes'' or ''white potatoes'' in the United States, to distinguish them from sweet potatoes. The name ''spud'' for a potato comes from the digging of soil (or a hole) prior to the planting of potatoes. The word has an unknown origin and was originally () used as a term for a short knife or dagger, probably related to the Latin , a word root meaning "sword"; compare Spanish , English "spade", and '' spadroon''. It subsequently transferred over to a variety of digging tools. Around 1845, the name transferred to the tuber itself, the first record of this usage being in

New Zealand English New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

. The origin of the word ''spud'' has erroneously been attributed to an 18th-century activist group dedicated to keeping the potato out of Britain, calling itself the Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet. It was Mario Pei's 1949 ''The Story of Language'' that can be blamed for the word's

false origin False or falsehood may refer to: *False (logic), the negation of truth in classical logic *Lie or falsehood, a type of deception in the form of an untruthful statement *false (Unix), a Unix command * ''False'' (album), a 1992 album by Gorefest *Ma ...

. Pei wrote "the potato, for its part, was in disrepute some centuries ago. Some Englishmen who did not fancy potatoes formed a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet. The initials of the main words in this title gave rise to spud." Like many other claimed pre-20th century

acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

ic origins, this is false, and there is no evidence that a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet ever existed. At least seven languages—Afrikaans, Dutch, French, (West) Frisian, Hebrew, Persian and some variants of German—are known to use a term for "potato" that translates roughly (or literally) into English as "earth apple" or "ground apple".

Biology

Taxonomic synonyms

{{collapsible list, * ''Battata tuberosa'' {{small, (L. Hill) * ''Larnax sylvarum'' subsp. ''novogranatensis'' {{small, (N.W.Sawyer) * ''Lycopersicon tuberosum'' {{small, (L. Mill.) * ''Parmentiera edulis'' {{small, (Raf.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''acutifolium'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''adpressipilosum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''alccai-huarmi'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''ancacc-maquin'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''arcuatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' subsp. ''argentinicum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' subsp. ''australiperuvianum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' subsp. ''aya-papa'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''aymaranum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''basiscopum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''bifidum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''bolivianum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' subsp. ''bolivianum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''brachistylum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''brevicalyces'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''brevicalyx'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''brevipilosum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''caesium'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''caiceda'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''carhua'' {{small, (Vargas) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''ccompetillo'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''ccompis'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''ccusi'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' subsp. ''centraliperuvianum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''cevallosii'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''chalcoense'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''chimaco'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''ckello-huaccoto'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''coeruleum'' {{small, (Lechn. ex Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''colombianum'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' subsp. ''colombianum'' {{small, ((Bukasov) Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''conicicolumnatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''cryptostylum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''curtibaccatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''cuzcoense'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''digitotuberosum'' {{small, (Vargas) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''dilatatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''discolor'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' subsp. ''ecuatorianum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''elongatibaccatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''elongatipedicellatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''globosum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''grauense'' {{small, (Vargas) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''guatemalense'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''hederiforme'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''herrerae'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''huaca-layra'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''huairuru'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''huallata'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''huaman-uma'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''imilla'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''incrassatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''juninum'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''lanciacuminatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''lapazense'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''latius'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''lecke-umo'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''lilacinoflorum'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''lisarassa'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''llutuc-runtum'' {{small, (Lechn. ex Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''longiacuminatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''longibaccatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''macron'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''magnicorollatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''mexicanum'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''microstigma'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''microstigmatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''nodosum'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''nudiculum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''obtusiacuminatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''ovatibaccatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''pacus'' {{small, (Lechn. ex Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''pallidum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''platyantherum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''pomacanchicum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''ppacc-nacha'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''ppaqui'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''puca-mata'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''quechuanum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''sihuanum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''socco-huaccoto'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''stenon'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' var. ''stenophyllum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''sunchchu'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' subsp. ''tarmense'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''tenue'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''tiahuanacense'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' convar. ''titicacense'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''tocanum'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''tolucanum'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum andigenum'' f. ''uncuna'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum apurimacense'' {{small, (Vargas) * ''Solanum aracatscha'' {{small, (Besser) * ''Solanum aracc-papa'' {{small, (Juz. ex Rybin) * ''Solanum ascasabii'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum boyacense'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum caniarense'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum cardenasii'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum cayeuxi'' {{small, (Berthault) * ''Solanum chariense'' {{small, (A.Chev.) * ''Solanum chaucha'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum chaucha'' var. ''ccoe-sulla'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum chaucha'' var. ''ckati'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum chaucha'' var. ''khoyllu'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum chaucha'' var. ''puca-suitu'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum chaucha'' f. ''purpureum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum chaucha'' f. ''roseum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum chaucha'' var. ''surimana'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum chiloense'' {{small, ((A.DC.) Berthault) * ''Solanum chilotanum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum chilotanum'' var. ''angustifurcatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum chilotanum'' f. ''magnicorollatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum chilotanum'' f. ''parvicorollatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum chilotanum'' var. ''talukdarii'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum chocclo'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum churuspi'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum coeruleiflorum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum cultum'' {{small, ((A.DC.) Berthault) * ''Solanum diemii'' {{small, (E.Brucher) * ''Solanum dubium'' {{small, (E.H.L.Krause) * ''Solanum erlansonii'' {{small, (Anon.) * ''Solanum esculentum'' {{small, (Neck.) * ''Solanum estradea'' {{small, (L.E.López) * ''Solanum goniocalyx'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum goniocalyx'' var. ''caeruleum'' {{small, (Vargas) * ''Solanum herrerae'' {{small, (Juz.) * ''Solanum hygrothermicum'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum kesselbrenneri'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum leptostigma'' {{small, (Juz.) * ''Solanum leptostigma'' {{small, (Juz. ex Bukasov) * ''Solanum macmillanii'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum maglia'' var. ''chubutense'' {{small, (Bitter) * ''Solanum maglia'' var. ''guaytecarum'' {{small, (Bitter) * ''Solanum mamilliferum'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum molinae'' {{small, (Juz.) * ''Solanum oceanicum'' {{small, (Brücher) * ''Solanum ochoanum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum paramoense'' {{small, (Bitter ex Pittier) * ''Solanum parmentieri'' {{small, (Molina ex Walp.) * ''Solanum parvicorollatum'' {{small, (Lechn.) * ''Solanum phureja'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum phureja'' var. ''caeruleum'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' var. ''erlansonii'' {{small, ((Bukasov & Lechnovitch) Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' subsp. ''estradae'' {{small, ((L.E.López) Hawkes) * ''Solanum phureja'' var. ''flavum'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' subsp. ''hygrothermicum'' {{small, ((Ochoa) Hawkes) * ''Solanum phureja'' var. ''janck'o-phureja'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' var. ''macmillanii'' {{small, ((Bukasov & Lechnovitch) Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' f. ''orbiculatum'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' var. ''pujeri'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum phureja'' var. ''rubroroseum'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' var. ''sanguineum'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' f. ''sayhuanimayo'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' f. ''timusi'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum phureja'' f. ''viuda'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum riobambense'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum rybinii'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum rybinii'' var. ''bogotense'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum rybinii'' var. ''boyacense'' {{small, ((Juz. & Bukasov) Hawkes) * ''Solanum rybinii'' var. ''pastoense'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum rybinii'' var. ''popayanum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum sabinei'' {{small, ((A.DC.) Berthault) * ''Solanum sanmartinense'' {{small, (Brücher) * ''Solanum sendigena'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum sinense'' {{small, (Blanco) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''alcay-imilla'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''canasense'' {{small, (Vargas) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''canastilla'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''catari-papa'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''ccami'' {{small, ((Bukasov) Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''ccami'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''chapina'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''chilcas'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''chincherae'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''chojllu'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''cochicallo'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''cohuasa'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''cuchipacon'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''cyaneum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''eucaliptae'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' subsp. ''goniocalyx'' {{small, ((Juz. & Bukasov) Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''huallata-chinchi'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''huamanpa-uman'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''huanuchi'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''huicu'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''kamara'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''kantillero'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''keccrana'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''kehuillo'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''koso-nahui'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''megalocalyx'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''negrum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''orcco-amajaya'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''pallidum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''peruanum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''phinu'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''phitu-huayacas'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''piticana'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''pitiquilla'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''pitoca'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''poccoya'' {{small, (Vargas) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''puca'' {{small, (Vargas) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''puca-lunca'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' var. ''putis'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''roseum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''tiele'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''yana-cculi'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum stenotomum'' f. ''yuracc'' {{small, (Vargas) * ''Solanum subandigenum'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum sylvestre'' {{small, (Audib. ex Dunal) * ''Solanum tarmense'' {{small, (Bukasov) * ''Solanum tascalense'' {{small, (Brücher) * ''Solanum tenuifilamentum'' {{small, (Juz. & Bukasov) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''acuminatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''aethiopicum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''alaudinum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''album'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''alkka-imilla'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''alkka-silla'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''amajaya'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' subsp. ''andigenum'' {{small, ((Juz. & Bukasov) Hawkes) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''anglicum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''araucanum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''auriculatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''azul-runa'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''batatinum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''bertuchii'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''borsdorfianum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''brachyceras'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''brachykalukon'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''brevipapillosum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''brevipilosum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''bufoninum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''californicum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''camota'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''cepinum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''chaped'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''chiar-lelekkoya'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''chiar-pala'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' subsp. ''chiloense'' {{small, ((A.DC.) L.I.Kostina) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''chiloense'' {{small, (A.DC.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''chilotanum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''chojo-sajama'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''chubutense'' {{small, ((Bitter) Hawkes) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''conicum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''conocarpum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''contortum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''coraila'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''cordiforme'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''corsicanum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''crassifilamentum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''crassipedicellatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''cucumerinum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''cultum'' * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''drakeanum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''elegans'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''elongatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''elongatum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''enode'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''erythroceras'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''fragariinum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''guaytecarum'' {{small, ((Bitter) Hawkes) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''hassicum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''helenanum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''hispanicum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''holsaticum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''huaca-zapato'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''huichinkka'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''indianum'' {{small, (Lechn. ex Bukasov) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''infectum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''isla-imilla'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''jancck'o-kkoyllu'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''janck'o-chockella'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''janck'o-pala'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''julianum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''kaunitzii'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''kunurana'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''laram-lelekkoya'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''latum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''laurentianum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''lelekkoya'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''leonhardianum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''mahuinhue'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''malcachu'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''melanoceras'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''menapianum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''merceri'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''milagro'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''montticum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''multibaccatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''murukewillu'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''nigrum'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''nobile'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''norfolcicum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''nucinum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''oculosum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''ovatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''overita'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''palatinatum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''pecorum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''peruvianum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''pichuna'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''pillicuma'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''platyceras'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''polemoniifolium'' {{small, (J.Rémy) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''praecox'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''praedicandum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''pulo'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''putscheanum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''recurvatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''reniforme'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''rockii'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''rossicum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''rubrisuturatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''rugiorum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''runa'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''sabinei'' {{small, (A.DC.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''saccharatum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''salamandrinum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''sani-imilla'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''schnittspahnii'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''sebastianum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''sesquimensale'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''sicha'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''sipancachi'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''strobilinum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''surico'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''taraco'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''tener'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''tenuipedicellatum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''thalassinum'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''tinctorium'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''tinguipaya'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''ulmense'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''versicolor'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''villaroella'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''viride'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''vuchefeldicum'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''vulgare'' {{small, (Macloskie) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''vulgare'' {{small, (Hook.f.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''wila-huaycku'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''wila-imilla'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''wila-k'oyu'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''wila-monda'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''wila-pala'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''xanthoceras'' {{small, (Alef.) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' f. ''yurac-taraco'' {{small, (Ochoa) * ''Solanum tuberosum'' var. ''yutuense'' {{small, (Bukasov & Lechn.) * ''Solanum utile'' {{small, (Klotzsch) * ''Solanum yabari'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum yabari'' var. ''cuzcoense'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum yabari'' var. ''pepino'' {{small, (Hawkes) * ''Solanum zykinii'' {{small, (Lechn.)

Description

Potato plants are herbaceous

s that grow about {{cvt, 60, cm, in high, depending on variety, with the leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and tuber formation. They bear white, pink, red, blue, or purple

flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

with yellow

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s. Potatoes are mostly cross-pollinated by insects such as

bumblebee A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related gener ...

s, which carry pollen from other potato plants, though a substantial amount of self-fertilizing occurs as well. Tubers form in response to decreasing day length, although this tendency has been minimized in commercial varieties. After flowering, potato plants produce small green

fruits In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particula ...

that resemble green cherry tomatoes, each containing about 300

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s. Like all parts of the plant except the tubers, the fruit contain the toxic

alkaloid Alkaloids are a class of basic, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds of similar ...

and are therefore unsuitable for consumption. All new potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called "true potato seed", "TPS" or "botanical seed" to distinguish it from seed tubers. New varieties grown from seed can be propagated vegetatively by planting tubers, pieces of tubers cut to include at least one or two eyes, or cuttings, a practice used in greenhouses for the production of healthy seed tubers. Plants propagated from tubers are clones of the parent, whereas those propagated from seed produce a range of different varieties. Garden potatoes

Potatoes, both ''S. tuberosum'' and most of its wild relatives, are

self-incompatible Self-incompatibility (SI) is a general name for several genetic mechanisms that prevent self-fertilization in sexually reproducing organisms, and thus encourage outcrossing and allogamy. It is contrasted with separation of sexes among individuals ...

: they bear no useful fruit when self-pollinated. This trait is problematic for crop breeding, as all sexually-produced plants must be hybrids. The gene responsible for its trait as well as mutations to disable it are now known. Self-compatibility has successfully been introduced both to diploid potatoes (including a special line of ''S. tuberosum'') by

CRISPR-Cas9 Cas9 (CRISPR associated protein 9, formerly called Cas5, Csn1, or Csx12) is a 160 kilodalton protein which plays a vital role in the immunological defense of certain bacteria against DNA viruses and plasmids, and is heavily utilized in genetic ...

. Plants having a 'Sli' gene produce pollen which is compatible to its own parent and plants with similar S genes.{{cite journal, last1=Hosaka, first1=Kazuyoshi, last2=Hanneman, first2=Robert E. Jr., title=Genetics of self-compatibility in a self-incompatible wild diploid potato species ''Solanum chacoense''. 1. Detection of an S locus inhibitor (Sli) gene , journal=

Euphytica Springer Science+Business Media, commonly known as Springer, is a German multinational publishing company of books, e-books and peer-reviewed journals in science, humanities, technical and medical (STM) publishing. Originally founded in 1842 in ...

, publisher=

Springer Science and Business Media LLC Springer Science+Business Media, commonly known as Springer, is a German multinational publishing company of books, e-books and peer-reviewed journals in science, humanities, technical and medical (STM) publishing. Originally founded in 1842 i ...

, volume=99, issue=3, year=1998, issn=0014-2336, doi=10.1023/a:1018353613431, pages=191–197, s2cid=40678039 , url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1018353613431 This gene was recently cloned by Wageningen University and Solynta in 2021, which would allow for faster and more focused breeding.{{cite journal, last1=Eggers, first1=Ernst-Jan, last2=Burgt, first2=van der, last3=Heusden, first3=van, last4=W., first4=Sjaak A., last5=Vries, first5=de, last6=E., first6=Michiel, last7=Visser, first7=Richard G. F., last8=Bachem, first8=Christian W. B., last9=Lindhout, first9=Pim, title=Neofunctionalisation of the Sli gene leads to self-compatibility and facilitates precision breeding in potato, journal=

Nature Communications ''Nature Communications'' is a peer-reviewed, open access, scientific journal published by Nature Portfolio since 2010. It is a multidisciplinary journal and it covers the natural sciences, including physics, chemistry, earth sciences, medicine, ...

, volume=12, issue=1, date=2021-07-06, page=4141 , issn=2041-1723, doi=10.1038/s41467-021-24267-6, pmid=34230471 , pmc=8260583 , bibcode=2021NatCo..12.4141E This study... {{cite journal, last1=Ma, first1=Ling, last2=Zhang, first2=Chunzhi, last3=Zhang, first3=Bo, last4=Tang, first4=Fei, last5=Li, first5=Futing, last6=Liao, first6=Qinggang, last7=Tang, first7=Die, last8=Peng, first8=Zhen, last9=Jia, first9=Yuxin, last10=Gao, first10=Meng, last11=Guo, first11=Han, last12=Zhang, first12=Jinzhe, last13=Luo, first13=Xuming, last14=Yang, first14=Huiqin, last15=Gao, first15=Dongli, last16=Lucas, first16=William J., last17=Li, first17=Canhui, last18=Huang, first18=Sanwen, last19=Shang, first19=Yi, title=A nonS-locus F-box gene breaks self-incompatibility in diploid potatoes, journal=

, publisher=

Nature Portfolio Nature Portfolio (formerly known as Nature Publishing Group and Nature Research) is a division of the international scientific publishing company Springer Nature that publishes academic journals, magazines, online databases, and services in scien ...

, volume=12, issue=1, date=2021-07-06, page=4142 , issn=2041-1723, doi=10.1038/s41467-021-24266-7, pmid=34230469 , pmc=8260799 , bibcode=2021NatCo..12.4142M ...is cited by this review: {{ Cite journal , language = en , year = 2022 , volume = 69 , publisher =

Elsevier Ltd. Elsevier () is a Dutch academic publishing company specializing in scientific, technical, and medical content. Its products include journals such as ''The Lancet'', ''Cell'', the ScienceDirect collection of electronic journals, '' Trends'', th ...

, first4 = Kentaro , first3 = Kanae , first2 = Katharina , first1 = Takashi , last4 = Shimizu , last3 = Masuda , last2 = Jung , last1 = Akagi , pages = 102255 , journal =

Current Opinion in Plant Biology Currents, Current or The Current may refer to: Science and technology * Current (fluid), the flow of a liquid or a gas ** Air current, a flow of air ** Ocean current, a current in the ocean *** Rip current, a kind of water current ** Current (stre ...

, issn = 1369-5266 , title = Polyploidy before and after domestication of crop species , pmid = 35870416 , s2cid = 250962663 , doi = 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102255

Diploid Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Sets of chromosomes refer to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, respectively ...

hybrid potato breeding is a recent area of potato genetics supported by the finding that

homozygous Zygosity (the noun, zygote, is from the Greek "yoked," from "yoke") () is the degree to which both copies of a chromosome or gene have the same genetic sequence. In other words, it is the degree of similarity of the alleles in an organism. Mo ...

fixation of donor alleles is possible.{{cite journal, last1=Lindhout, first1=Pim, last2=Meijer, first2=Dennis, last3=Schotte, first3=Theo, last4=Hutten, first4=Ronald C. B., last5=Visser, first5=Richard G. F., last6=van Eck, first6=Herman J., title=Towards F1 Hybrid Seed Potato Breeding, journal= Potato Research, publisher=

, volume=54, issue=4, year=2011, issn=0014-3065, doi=10.1007/s11540-011-9196-z, pages=301–312, s2cid=39719359

Genetics

There are about 5,000 potato varieties worldwide. Three thousand of them are found in the Andes alone, mainly in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia. They belong to eight or nine species, depending on the taxonomic school. Apart from the 5,000 cultivated varieties, there are about 200 wild species and subspecies, many of which can be cross-bred with cultivated varieties. Cross-breeding has been done repeatedly to transfer resistances to certain pests and diseases from the gene pool of wild species to the gene pool of cultivated potato species. Russet potato cultivar with sprouts

The major species grown worldwide is ''Solanum tuberosum'' (a tetraploid with 48

chromosome A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins are ...

s), and modern varieties of this species are the most widely cultivated. There are also four diploid species (with 24 chromosomes): ''S.{{nbspstenotomum'', ''S.{{nbspphureja'', ''S.{{nbspgoniocalyx'', and ''S.{{nbspajanhuiri''. There are two triploid species (with 36 chromosomes): ''S.{{nbspchaucha'' and ''S.{{nbspjuzepczukii''. There is one pentaploid cultivated species (with 60 chromosomes): ''S.{{nbspcurtilobum''. There are two major subspecies of ''Solanum tuberosum'': ''andigena'', or Andean; and ''tuberosum'', or Chilean. The Andean potato is adapted to the short-day conditions prevalent in the mountainous equatorial and tropical regions where it originated; the Chilean potato, however, native to the Chiloé Archipelago, is adapted to the long-day conditions prevalent in the higher latitude region of southern Chile.{{cite journal, url=https://scielo.conicyt.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-34582007000300011 , title=Molecular description and similarity relationships among native germplasm potatoes (''Solanum tuberosum'' ssp. ''tuberosum'' L.) using morphological data and AFLP markers , journal=

Electronic Journal of Biotechnology Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal * Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device * Electronic ...

, volume=10 , issue=3 , pages=436–443 , access-date=6 December 2009, doi=10.2225/vol10-issue3-fulltext-14 , date=July 2007 , last1=Anabalón Rodríguez , first1=Leonardo , last2=Morales Ulloa , first2=Daniza , last3=Solano Solis , first3=Jaime , hdl=10925/320 , hdl-access=free The International Potato Center, based in

Lima, Peru Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

, holds 4,870 types of potato germplasm, most of which are traditional landrace cultivars. The international Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium announced in 2009 that they had achieved a draft sequence of the potato genome, containing 12 chromosomes and 860 million base pairs, making it a medium-sized plant genome. More than 99 percent of all current varieties of potatoes currently grown are direct descendants of a subspecies that once grew in the lowlands of south-central

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

.{{cite web , url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080129160727.htm , title=Using DNA, Scientists Hunt For The Roots Of The Modern Potato , author=Story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

, publisher=ScienceDaily (with information from a report originally appearing in the American Journal of Botany) , date=4 February 2008 , access-date=27 August 2011 Nonetheless, genetic testing of the wide variety of

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

s and wild species affirms that all potato subspecies derive from a single

origin Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics and manga * Origin (comics), ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002 * The Origin (Buffy comic), ''The Origin'' (Bu ...

in the area of present-day southern

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

and extreme Northwestern

(from a species in the ''Solanum brevicaule'' complex). Most modern potatoes grown in North America arrived through European settlement and not independently from the South American sources, although at least one wild potato species, '' Solanum fendleri'', naturally ranges from Peru into Texas, where it is used in breeding for resistance to a

nematode The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant-Parasitism, parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhab ...

species that attacks cultivated potatoes. A secondary center of genetic variability of the potato is Mexico, where important wild species that have been used extensively in modern breeding are found, such as the hexaploid '' Solanum demissum'', as a source of resistance to the devastating late blight disease.{{Cite journal, title=Potato and tomato late blight caused by ''Phytophthora infestans'': An overview of pathology and resistance breeding , last1=Nowicki, first1=Marcin, date=17 August 2011, doi= 10.1094/PDIS-05-11-0458, pmid=30731850, last2=Foolad, first2=Majid R., last3=Nowakowska, first3=Marzena, last4=Kozik , first4=Elzbieta U., journal= Plant Disease, publisher= American Phytopathological Society (APS), volume=96, issue=1, pages=4–17, display-authors=etal, doi-access=free Another relative native to this region, ''

Solanum bulbocastanum ''Solanum bulbocastanum'', the ornamental nightshade, is a plant in the family Solanaceae, native to Mexico and parts of the U.S. Southwest. It is closely related to the potato and, as it has evolved strong resistance to all known varieties of p ...

'', has been used to genetically engineer the potato to resist potato blight.

Varieties

{{further, List of potato cultivars There are close to 4,000 varieties of potatoes, each of which has specific agricultural or culinary attributes. Around 80 varieties are commercially available in the UK. In general, varieties are categorized into a few main groups based on common characteristics, such as russet potatoes (rough brown skin), red potatoes, white potatoes, yellow potatoes (also called Yukon potatoes) and purple potatoes. Potato cells dyed for starch

For culinary purposes, varieties are often differentiated by their waxiness: floury or mealy ''baking'' potatoes have more

(20–22%) than waxy ''boiling'' potatoes (16–18%). The distinction may also arise from variation in the comparative ratio of two different potato starch compounds: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose, a long-chain molecule, diffuses from the starch granule when cooked in water, and lends itself to dishes where the potato is mashed. Varieties that contain a slightly higher amylopectin content, which is a highly branched molecule, help the potato retain its shape after being boiled in water. Potatoes that are good for making potato chips or potato crisps are sometimes called "chipping potatoes", which means they meet the basic requirements of similar varietal characteristics, being firm, fairly clean, and fairly well-shaped. Immature potatoes may be sold fresh from the field as "creamer" or "new" potatoes{{anchor, creamer potatoes, new potatoes and are particularly valued for their taste. They are typically small in size and tender, with a loose skin, and flesh containing a lower level of

than other potatoes. In the United States they are generally either a

Yukon Gold potato Yukon Gold is a large cultivar of potato most distinctly characterized by its thin, smooth, eye-free skin and yellow-tinged flesh. This potato was developed in the 1960s by Garnet ("Gary") Johnston in Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, with the hel ...

or a red potato, called gold creamers or red creamers respectively.{{cite web, url=http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--35863/creamer-potato.asp, title=Creamer Potato, publisher=recipetips.com, access-date=18 July 2008 In the UK, the

Jersey Royal The Jersey Royal is the marketing name of a type of potato grown in Jersey which has a Protected Designation of Origin. The potatoes are of the variety known as International Kidney and are typically grown as a new potato. History In around 1 ...

is a famous type of new potato. They are distinct from "baby", "salad" or " fingerling" potatoes, which are small and tend to have waxy flesh, but are grown to maturity and can be stored for months before being sold. The

European Cultivated Potato Database {{Use Canadian English, date=April 2021 The European Cultivated Potato Database (ECPD) is an online collaborative database of potato variety descriptions. The information that it contains can be searched by variety name, or by selecting one or m ...

(ECPD) is an online collaborative database of potato variety descriptions that is updated and maintained by the

Scottish Agricultural Science Agency SASA (formerly the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency) is a division of the Scottish Government Agriculture and Rural Delivery Directorate. It provides scientific advice and support on a range of agricultural and environmental topics to the ...

within the framework of the European Cooperative Programme for Crop Genetic Resources Networks (ECP/GR)—which is run by the

International Plant Genetic Resources Institute Bioversity International is a global research-for-development organization that delivers scientific evidence, management practices and policy options to use and safeguard agricultural biodiversity to attain global food security, food and nutrition ...

(IPGRI).

Pigmentation

Dozens of potato

s have been

selectively bred Selective breeding (also called artificial selection) is the process by which humans use animal breeding and plant breeding to selectively develop particular phenotypic traits (characteristics) by choosing which typically animal or plant mal ...

specifically for their skin or, more commonly, flesh

color Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...

, including gold, red, and blue varieties that contain varying amounts of

phytochemical Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants, generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections, and also consumption by insects and other animals. The name comes . Some phytochemicals have been used as poisons ...

s, including carotenoids for gold/yellow or

polyphenol Polyphenols () are a large family of naturally occurring organic compounds characterized by multiples of phenol units. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin, some of ...

s for red or blue cultivars.{{cite journal, last1=Hirsch , first1=C.N., last2=Hirsch, first2=C.D., last3=Felcher, first3=K, last4=Coombs, first4=J, last5=Zarka, first5=D, last6=Van Deynze, first6=A, last7=De Jong, first7=W, last8=Veilleux , first8=R.E. , last9=Jansky, first9=S, year=2013, title=Retrospective View of North American Potato (''Solanum tuberosum'' L.) Breeding in the 20th and 21st Centuries, journal= G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics , volume=3, issue=6, pages=1003–13, doi=10.1534/g3.113.005595, pmc=3689798, last10=Bethke, first10=P, last11=Douches, first11=D.S. , last12=Buell, first12=C.R., pmid=23589519 Carotenoid compounds include

provitamin A A provitamin is a substance that may be converted within the body to a vitamin. The term previtamin is a synonym. The term "provitamin" is used when it is desirable to label a substance with little or no vitamin activity, but which can be converted ...

alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which are converted to the

essential nutrient A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow, and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi, and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excret ...

vitamin A Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient for humans. It is a group of organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal (also known as retinaldehyde), retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids (most notably bet ...

, during digestion.

Anthocyanin Anthocyanins (), also called anthocyans, are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that, depending on their pH, may appear red, purple, blue, or black. In 1835, the German pharmacist Ludwig Clamor Marquart gave the name Anthokyan to a chemical compo ...

s mainly responsible for red or blue pigmentation in potato cultivars do not have nutritional significance, but are used for visual variety and consumer appeal. In 2010, potatoes were

bioengineered Biological engineering or bioengineering is the application of principles of biology and the tools of engineering to create usable, tangible, economically-viable products. Biological engineering employs knowledge and expertise from a number o ...

specifically for these pigmentation traits.

Genetically engineered potatoes

{{Main, Genetically engineered potato Genetic research has produced several genetically modified varieties. 'New Leaf', owned by

Monsanto Company The Monsanto Company () was an American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation founded in 1901 and headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Monsanto's best known product is Roundup (herbicide), Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbic ...

, incorporates genes from ''

Bacillus thuringiensis ''Bacillus thuringiensis'' (or Bt) is a gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium, the most commonly used biological pesticide worldwide. ''B. thuringiensis'' also occurs naturally in the gut of caterpillars of various types of moths and butterflie ...

'', which confers resistance to the Colorado potato beetle; 'New Leaf Plus' and 'New Leaf Y', approved by US regulatory agencies during the 1990s, also include resistance to viruses.

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...

Burger King Burger King (BK) is an American-based multinational chain store, chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based res ...

, Frito-Lay, and

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer hea ...

announced they would not use genetically modified potatoes, and Monsanto published its intent to discontinue the line in March 2001. Potato starch contains two types of

glucan A glucan is a polysaccharide derived from D-glucose, linked by glycosidic bonds. Glucans are noted in two forms: alpha glucans and beta glucans. Many beta-glucans are medically important. They represent a drug target for antifungal medications of ...

, amylose and amylopectin, the latter of which is most industrially useful. Waxy potato varieties produce waxy potato starch, which is almost entirely amylopectin, with little or no amylose. BASF developed the Amflora potato, which was modified to express

antisense RNA Antisense RNA (asRNA), also referred to as antisense transcript, natural antisense transcript (NAT) or antisense oligonucleotide, is a single stranded RNA that is complementary to a protein coding messenger RNA (mRNA) with which it hybridizes, and ...

to inactivate the gene for granule bound starch synthase, an enzyme which catalyzes the formation of amylose. Amflora potatoes therefore produce starch consisting almost entirely of amylopectin, and are thus more useful for the starch industry. In 2010, the European Commission cleared the way for 'Amflora' to be grown in the European Union for industrial purposes only—not for food. Nevertheless, under EU rules, individual countries have the right to decide whether they will allow this potato to be grown on their territory. Commercial planting of 'Amflora' was expected in the Czech Republic and Germany in the spring of 2010, and

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

and the Netherlands in subsequent years. Another GM potato variety developed by BASF is 'Fortuna' which was made resistant to

late blight ''Phytophthora infestans'' is an oomycete or water mold, a fungus-like microorganism that causes the serious potato and tomato disease known as late blight or potato blight. Early blight, caused by ''Alternaria solani'', is also often called "pot ...

by adding two resistance genes, {{ Visible anchor, blb1 and {{ Visible anchor, blb2, which originate from the Mexican wild potato ''Solanum bulbocastanum''.{{ Clarify, date=December 2022, reason=Is this the same as #Rpi-blb1 below? If so these two should be next to each other, so this should be moved to that section or vice versa. In October 2011 BASF requested cultivation and marketing approval as a feed and food from the EFSA. In 2012, GMO development in Europe was stopped by BASF. In November 2014, the USDA approved a genetically modified potato developed by

J.R. Simplot Company The J. R. Simplot Company (commonly referred to as Simplot) is an agribusiness company headquartered in Boise, Idaho. History Simplot was founded in 1929 by 20-year-old John Richard Simplot near the agricultural community of Declo in south ...

, which contains genetic modifications that prevent bruising and produce less

when fried than conventional potatoes; the modifications do not cause new proteins to be made, but rather prevent proteins from being made via RNA interference. Genetically modified varieties have met public resistance in the United States and in the European Union.{{cite news , title=A genetically modified potato, not for eating, is stirring some opposition in Europe , work=

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

, url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/24/business/worldbusiness/24spuds.html , access-date=15 November 2008 , first=Elisabeth , last=Rosenthal , date=24 July 2007

Biosynthesis of starch

Sucrose is a product of photosynthesis. Ferreira ''et al.'' (2010) found that the genes for starch

biosynthesis Biosynthesis is a multi-step, enzyme-catalyzed process where substrates are converted into more complex products in living organisms. In biosynthesis, simple compounds are modified, converted into other compounds, or joined to form macromolecules. ...

start to be transcribed at the same time as

sucrose synthase In enzymology, a sucrose synthase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :NDP-glucose + D-fructose NDP + sucrose Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are NDP-glucose and D-fructose, whereas its two products are NDP and suc ...

activity begins. This transcription – including

starch synthase In enzymology, a starch synthase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :ADP-glucose + (1,4-alpha-D-glucosyl)n \rightleftharpoons ADP + (1,4-alpha-D-glucosyl)n+1 Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are ADP-glucose and a chain ...

– also shows a diurnal rhythm, correlating with the sucrose supply arriving from the leaves.{{cite journal , last1=Zierer , first1=Wolfgang , last2=Rüscher , first2=David , last3=Sonnewald , first3=Uwe , last4=Sonnewald , first4=Sophia , title=Tuber and Tuberous Root Development , journal= Annual Review of Plant Biology , publisher= Annual Reviews , volume=72 , issue=1 , date=2021-06-17 , issn=1543-5008 , doi=10.1146/annurev-arplant-080720-084456 , pages=551–580, pmid=33788583 , s2cid=232482246

History

{{Main, History of the potato The potato was first domesticated in the region of modern-day southern

and northwestern

by pre-Columbian farmers, around Lake Titicaca. It has since spread around the world and become a

staple crop A staple food, food staple, or simply a staple, is a food that is eaten often and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for a given person or group of people, supplying a large fraction of energy needs and ...

in many countries. The earliest archaeologically verified potato tuber remains have been found at the coastal site of Ancon (central

), dating to 2500 BC. The most widely cultivated variety, ''

Solanum tuberosum tuberosum The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern United S ...

'', is indigenous to the Chiloé Archipelago, and has been cultivated by the local

indigenous people Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

since before the Spanish conquest. According to conservative estimates, the introduction of the potato was responsible for a quarter of the growth in

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...

population and urbanization between 1700 and 1900. In the Altiplano, potatoes provided the principal energy source for the Inca civilization, its predecessors, and its Spanish successor. Following the

Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, also known as the Conquest of Peru, was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. After years of preliminary exploration and military skirmishes, 168 Spanish sol ...

, the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century, part of the

Columbian exchange The Columbian exchange, also known as the Columbian interchange, was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the New World (the Americas) in ...

. The staple was subsequently conveyed by European (possibly including Russian) mariners to territories and ports throughout the world, especially their colonies.{{cite book , last=Sauer , first=Jonathan , title=Historical Geography of Crop Plants : a Select Roster , publisher=

CRC Press The CRC Press, LLC is an American publishing group that specializes in producing technical books. Many of their books relate to engineering, science and mathematics. Their scope also includes books on business, forensics and information tec ...

, publication-place=

Boca Raton, FL Boca Raton ( ; es, Boca Ratón, link=no, ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It was first incorporated on August 2, 1924, as "Bocaratone," and then incorporated as "Boca Raton" in 1925. The population was 97,422 in the ...

, year=2017 , isbn=978-0-203-75190-9 , oclc=1014382952 , page=320 {{isbn, 9780849389016 {{isbn, 9781351440622 {{isbn, 9781351440615 {{isbn, 9781351440639 {{isbn, 9780367449872 The potato was slow to be adopted by European and colonial farmers, but after 1750 it became an important food staple and field crop and played a major role in the European 19th century population boom. However, lack of genetic diversity, due to the very limited number of varieties initially introduced, left the crop vulnerable to disease. In 1845, a plant disease known as late blight, caused by the fungus-like oomycete ''

Phytophthora infestans ''Phytophthora infestans'' is an oomycete or water mold, a fungus-like microorganism that causes the serious potato and tomato disease known as late blight or potato blight. Early blight, caused by ''Alternaria solani'', is also often called "pot ...

'', spread rapidly through the poorer communities of western

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

as well as parts of the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Sco ...

, resulting in the crop failures that led to the

Great Irish Famine The Great Famine ( ga, an Gorta Mór ), also known within Ireland as the Great Hunger or simply the Famine and outside Ireland as the Irish Potato Famine, was a period of starvation and disease in Ireland from 1845 to 1852 that constituted a ...

. However, thousands of varieties still persist in the Andes , where over 100 cultivars might be found in a single valley, and a dozen or more might be maintained by a single agricultural household.

Production

{{main, List of countries by potato production {, class="wikitable floatright" style="float:right; clear:left; width:18em;" , - ! colspan=2, Potato production – 2020 , - ! style="background:#ddf; width:75%;", Country ! style="background:#ddf; width:25%;", Production (millions of

tonne The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the short ton ( United State ...

s) , - , style="text-align: center;" , {{CHN , , style="text-align: center;" , 78.2 , - , style="text-align: center;" , {{IND , , style="text-align: center;" , 51.3 , - , style="text-align: center;" , {{RUS , , style="text-align: center;" , 22.5 , - , style="text-align: center;" , {{UKR , , style="text-align: center;" , 19.6 , - , style="text-align: center;" , {{USA , , style="text-align: center;" , 18.8 , - , style="text-align: center;" , World , , style="text-align: center;" , 359.1 , - , colspan=2 style="text-align: center;" , Source:

FAOSTAT The Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT) website disseminates statistical data collected and maintained by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). FAOSTAT data are provided as a time-series from 1961 in mo ...

of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

{{cite web, url=https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL, title=Potato production in 2020 Region/World/Production Quantity/Crops from pick lists, publisher=UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT), date=2022, access-date=7 January 2022 Production of potatoes (2019)

In 2020, world production of potatoes was 359 million

s, led by China with 22% of the total (table). Other major producers were India, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. It remains an essential crop in Europe (especially northern and eastern Europe), where per capita production is still the highest in the world, but the most rapid expansion over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia.

Nutrition

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a typical raw potato is 79% water, 17%

carbohydrates In organic chemistry, a carbohydrate () is a biomolecule consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms, usually with a hydrogen–oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 (as in water) and thus with the empirical formula (where ''m'' may or may ...

(88% is

), 2%

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...

, and contains negligible

fat In nutrition science, nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such chemical compound, compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers spec ...

(see table). In a {{convert, 100, g, oz, frac=2, adj=on portion, raw potato provides {{convert, 322, kJ, kcal, abbr=off of food energy and is a rich source of

vitamin B6 Vitamin B6 is one of the B vitamins, and thus an essential nutrient. The term refers to a group of six chemically similar compounds, i.e., "vitamers", which can be interconverted in biological systems. Its active form, pyridoxal 5′-phosphat ...

and

vitamin C Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) an ...

(23% and 24% of the Daily Value, respectively), with no other vitamins or minerals in significant amount (see table). The potato is rarely eaten raw because raw potato starch is poorly digested by humans. When a potato is baked, its contents of vitamin B6 and vitamin C decline notably, while there is little significant change in the amount of other nutrients. Potatoes are often broadly classified as having a high

glycemic index The glycemic (glycaemic) index (GI; ) is a number from 0 to 100 assigned to a food, with pure glucose arbitrarily given the value of 100, which represents the relative rise in the blood glucose level two hours after consuming that food. The GI of ...

(GI) and so are often excluded from the diets of individuals trying to follow a low-GI diet. The GI of potatoes can vary considerably depending on the cultivar, growing conditions and storage, preparation methods (by cooking method, whether it is eaten hot or cold, whether it is mashed or cubed or consumed whole), and accompanying foods consumed (especially the addition of various high-fat or high-protein toppings). Consuming reheated or pre-cooked and cooled potatoes may yield a lower GI effect due to the formation of resistant starch.{{cite journal, vauthors=Fernandes G, Velangi A, Wolever TM , year=2005, title=Glycemic index of potatoes commonly consumed in North America, journal=

Journal of the American Dietetic Association The ''Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics'' is the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics published by Elsevier. It covers research in nutritional science, medical nutrition therapy, publ ...

, volume=105, pages=557–62, doi=10.1016/j.jada.2005.01.003, pmid=15800557, issue=4 In the UK, potatoes are not considered by the

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

(NHS) as counting or contributing towards the recommended daily five portions of fruit and vegetables, the 5-A-Day program.

Comparison to other staple foods

This table shows the nutrient content of potatoes next to other major staple foods, each one measured in its respective raw state on a dry weight basis to account for their different water contents, even though staple foods are not commonly eaten raw and are usually sprouted or cooked before eating. In sprouted and cooked form, the relative nutritional and anti-nutritional contents of each of these grains (or other foods) may be different from the values in this table. Each nutrient (every row) has the highest number highlighted to show the staple food with the greatest amount in a dry {{convert, 100, g portion. {{Comparison of major staple foods Potatoes from India

Toxicity

Potatoes contain

toxic Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...

compounds known as glycoalkaloids, of which the most prevalent are

and

chaconine α-Chaconine is a steroidal glycoalkaloid that occurs in plants of the family Solanaceae. It is a natural toxicant produced in green potatoes and gives the potato a bitter taste. Tubers produce this glycoalkaloid in response to stress, providing ...

. Solanine is found in other plants in the same family,

, which includes such plants as deadly nightshade (''

Atropa belladonna ''Atropa belladonna'', commonly known as belladonna or deadly nightshade, is a toxic perennial herbaceous plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae, which also includes tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant (aubergine). It is native to Europe, North ...

''), henbane ('' Hyoscyamus niger'') and tobacco ('' Nicotiana spp.''), as well as the food plants

eggplant Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. Mos ...

and

. These compounds, which protect the potato plant from its predators, are generally concentrated in its leaves, flowers, sprouts, and fruits (in contrast to the tubers). In a summary of several studies, the glycoalkaloid content was highest in the flowers and sprouts and lowest in the tuber flesh. (The glycoalkaloid content was, in order from highest to lowest: flowers, sprouts, leaves, tuber skin, roots, berries, peel

kin plus outer cortex of tuber flesh __NOTOC__ Kin usually refers to kinship and family. Kin or KIN may also refer to: Culture and religion *Otherkin, people who identify as not entirely human *Kinism, a white supremacist religious movement * Kinh, the majority ethnic group of V ...

stems, and tuber flesh). Exposure to light, physical damage, and age increase glycoalkaloid content within the tuber.{{cite web, url=http://www.csiro.au/resources/green-potatoes, title=Greening of potatoes, year=2005 , publisher=Food Science Australia, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125205141/http://www.csiro.au/resources/green-potatoes, archive-date=25 November 2011, url-status=dead, access-date=15 November 2008 Cooking at high temperatures—over {{cvt, 170, °C, °F—partly destroys these compounds. The concentration of glycoalkaloids in wild potatoes is sufficient to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloid poisoning may cause headaches,

diarrhea Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin wi ...

, cramps, and, in severe cases, coma and death. However, poisoning from cultivated potato varieties is very rare. Light exposure causes greening from

chlorophyll Chlorophyll (also chlorophyl) is any of several related green pigments found in cyanobacteria and in the chloroplasts of algae and plants. Its name is derived from the Greek words , ("pale green") and , ("leaf"). Chlorophyll allow plants to a ...

synthesis, giving a visual clue as to which areas of the tuber may have become more toxic. However, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other. Different potato varieties contain different levels of glycoalkaloids. The

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...

variety was released in 1967 but was withdrawn in 1970 as it contained high levels of glycoalkaloids.{{cite web, url=https://boingboing.net/2013/03/25/the-case-of-the-poison-potato.html, title=The case of the poison potato, publisher=boingboing.net, author=Marggie Koerth-Baker, date=25 March 2013, access-date=8 November 2015, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108070908/http://boingboing.net/2013/03/25/the-case-of-the-poison-potato.html, archive-date=8 November 2015, url-status=dead Since then, breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising

. Breeders try to keep glycoalkaloid levels below {{cvt, 200, mg/kg (200 ppmw). However, when these commercial varieties turn green, they can still approach

concentrations of {{cvt, 1000, mg/kg (1000 ppmw). In normal potatoes, analysis has shown solanine levels may be as little as 3.5% of the breeders' maximum, with {{cvt, 7–187, mg/kg being found. While a normal potato tuber has {{cvt, 12–20, mg/kg of glycoalkaloid content, a green potato tuber contains {{cvt, 250–280, mg/kg and its skin has {{cvt, 1500–2200, mg/kg. {{anchor, Growth, Cultivation

Growth and cultivation

{{anchor, Seed potato

Seed potatoes

Potatoes are generally grown from ''seed potatoes'', tubers specifically grown to be free from disease and to provide consistent and healthy plants. To be disease free, the areas where seed potatoes are grown are selected with care. In the US, this restricts production of seed potatoes to only 15 states out of all 50 states where potatoes are grown. These locations are selected for their cold, hard winters that kill pests and summers with long sunshine hours for optimum growth. In the UK, most seed potatoes originate in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, in areas where westerly winds reduce aphid attack and the spread of potato virus

pathogen In biology, a pathogen ( el, πάθος, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of") in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a germ ...

s. Potatoes can also be grown from true seeds.

Phases of growth

Potato growth can be divided into five phases. During the first phase, sprouts emerge from the seed potatoes and root growth begins. During the second,

photosynthesis Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...

begins as the plant develops leaves and branches above-ground and

stolon In biology, stolons (from Latin '' stolō'', genitive ''stolōnis'' – "branch"), also known as runners, are horizontal connections between organisms. They may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton; typically, animal stolons are external s ...

s develop from lower leaf

axil A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

s on the below-ground stem. In the third phase the tips of the stolons swell forming new tubers and the shoots continue to grow and flowers typically develop soon after. Tuber bulking occurs during the fourth phase, when the plant begins investing the majority of its resources in its newly formed tubers. At this phase, several factors are critical to a good yield: optimal

soil moisture Soil moisture is the water content of the soil. It can be expressed in terms of volume or weight. Soil moisture measurement can be based on ''in situ'' probes (e.g., capacitance probes, neutron probes) or remote sensing methods. Water that enters ...

and temperature, soil nutrient availability and balance, and resistance to pest attacks. The fifth phase is the maturation of the tubers: the leaves and stems senesce and the tuber skins harden.{{cite journal, last1=Jefferies, first1=R. A., last2=Lawson, first2=H. M., title=A key for the stages of development of potato (''Solanum tuberosum''), journal=

Annals of Applied Biology The Association of Applied Biologists (AAB) is a United Kingdom biological science learned society. From its foundation in 1904 until 1934, the institution was the Association of Economic Biologists. It publishes research and holds conferences in ...

, volume=119, issue=2, year=1991, pages=387–399, issn=0003-4746, doi=10.1111/j.1744-7348.1991.tb04879.x

Challenges

New tubers may start growing at the surface of the soil. Since exposure to light leads to an undesirable greening of the skins and the development of

as a protection from the sun's rays, growers cover surface tubers. Commercial growers cover them by piling additional soil around the base of the plant as it grows (called "hilling" up, or in British English "earthing up"). An alternative method, used by home gardeners and smaller-scale growers, involves covering the growing area with mulches such as straw or plastic sheets.{{cite web, url=http://suffolk-lamp.cit.cornell.edu/assets/Horticulture-Leaflets/Growing-Potatoes-in-the-Home-Garden.pdf, publisher=

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

Extension Service library Extension service may refer to: * Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), a USDA office * Agricultural extension services, educational services offered to farmers and other growers * Church extension service ...

, title=Growing Potatoes in the Home Garden, access-date=27 June 2010 Correct potato husbandry can be an arduous task in some circumstances. Good ground preparation,

harrowing In agriculture, a harrow is a farm implement used for surface tillage. It is used after ploughing for breaking up and smoothing out the surface of the soil. The purpose of harrowing is to break up clods and to provide a soil structure, call ...

, plowing, and rolling are always needed, along with a little grace from the weather and a good source of water. Three successive plowings, with associated harrowing and rolling, are desirable before planting. Eliminating all root-weeds is desirable in potato cultivation. In general, the potatoes themselves are grown from the eyes of another potato and not from seed. Home gardeners often plant a piece of potato with two or three eyes in a hill of mounded soil. Commercial growers plant potatoes as a row crop using seed tubers, young plants or microtubers and may mound the entire row. Seed potato crops are rogued in some countries to eliminate diseased plants or those of a different variety from the seed crop. Potatoes are sensitive to heavy

frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above-freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) ...

s, which damage them in the ground. Even cold weather makes potatoes more susceptible to bruising and possibly later rotting, which can quickly ruin a large stored crop.

Pests and disease

{{Main, List of potato diseases The historically significant ''

'' (late blight) remains an ongoing problem in Europe and the United States. Other potato diseases include '' Rhizoctonia'', '' Sclerotinia'', black leg, powdery mildew,

powdery scab Powdery scab is a disease of potato tubers. It is caused by the cercozoan ''Spongospora subterranea'' f. sp. ''subterranea'' and is widespread in potato growing countries. Symptoms of powdery scab include small lesions in the early stages of the ...

and leafroll virus. Phytophtora infestans-effects

Insects that commonly transmit potato diseases or damage the plants include the Colorado potato beetle, the

potato tuber moth ''Phthorimaea operculella'', also known as the potato tuber moth or tobacco splitworm, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is an oligophagous insect that feeds on the plant family Solanaceae and is especially known for being a major pest of ...

, the green peach aphid ('' Myzus persicae''), the

potato aphid ''Macrosiphum euphorbiae'', the potato aphid, is a sap-sucking pest insect in the family Aphididae. It infests potatoes and a number of other commercially important crops. Distribution ''Macrosiphum euphorbiae'' originated in North America but ...

, '' Tuta absoluta'',

beet leafhopper The beet leafhopper (''Circulifer tenellus''), also sometimes known as ''Neoaliturus tenellus'', is a species of leafhopper which belongs to the family Cicadellidae in the order Hemiptera. Morphology A lot of morphological diversity has be ...

thrips Thrips ( order Thysanoptera) are minute (mostly long or less), slender insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouthparts. Different thrips species feed mostly on plants by puncturing and sucking up the contents, although a few are ...

, and

mites Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear evid ...

. The potato cyst nematode is a microscopic worm that feeds on the roots, thus causing the potato plants to wilt. Since its eggs can survive in the soil for several years,

crop rotation Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area across a sequence of growing seasons. It reduces reliance on one set of nutrients, pest and weed pressure, and the probability of developing resistant ...

is recommended. According to an Environmental Working Group analysis of USDA and FDA pesticide residue tests performed from 2000 through 2008, 84% of the 2,216 tested potato samples contained detectable traces of at least one pesticide. A total of 36 unique pesticides were detected on potatoes over the 2,216 samples, though no individual sample contained more than 6 unique pesticide traces, and the average was 1.29 detectable unique pesticide traces per sample. The average quantity of all pesticide traces found in the 2,216 samples was 1.602 ppm. While this was a very low value of pesticide residue, it was the highest amongst the 50 vegetables analyzed. {{ Visible anchor, Rpi-blb1 is a

nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat Resistance genes (R-Genes) are genes in plant genomes that convey plant disease resistance against pathogens by producing R proteins. The main class of R-genes consist of a nucleotide binding domain (NB) and a leucine rich repeat (LRR) do ...

(NB-LRR/NLR), an

immunoreceptor Non-catalytic tyrosine-phosphorylated receptors (NTRs), also called immunoreceptors or Src-family kinase-dependent receptors, are a group of cell surface receptors expressed by leukocytes that are important for cell migration and the recognition of ...

. It has been

introgressed Introgression, also known as introgressive hybridization, in genetics is the transfer of genetic material from one species into the gene pool of another by the repeated backcrossing of an interspecific hybrid with one of its parent species. Intr ...

from wild relatives (various '' Solanum'' spp.) into the common potato. Rpi-blb1 conveys

resistance Resistance may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics * Either of two similarly named but otherwise unrelated comic book series, both published by Wildstorm: ** ''Resistance'' (comics), based on the video game of the same title ** ''T ...

to Late Blight (''P. infestans''). {{ Cite journal , language = en , year = 2022 , volume = 66 , issue = 5 , department = Review , publisher = Portland Press Limited (

Biochemical Society The Biochemical Society is a learned society in the United Kingdom in the field of biochemistry, including all the cellular and molecular biosciences. Structure It currently has around 7000 members, two-thirds in the UK. It is affiliated with th ...

) , first2 = Doil , first1 = Soohyun , last2 = Choi , last1 = Oh , pages = 435–445 , journal =

Essays in Biochemistry An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have been sub-classified as formal ...

, title = Receptor-mediated nonhost resistance in plants , doi = 10.1042/EBC20210080 , pmid = 35388900 , s2cid = 247999992 , id = {{ORCID, 0000-0002-4366-3627 {{ Clarify, date=December 2022, reason=Is this the same as #blb1 above? If so these two should be next to each other, so this should be moved to that section or vice versa.

Harvest

At harvest time, gardeners usually dig up potatoes with a long-handled, three-prong "grape" (or graip), i.e., a spading fork, or a potato hook, which is similar to the graip but with tines at a 90 ° angle to the handle. In larger plots, the plow is the fastest implement for unearthing potatoes. Commercial harvesting is typically done with large

potato harvester Potato harvesters are machines that harvest potatoes. They work by lifting the potatoes from the bed using a share. Soil and crop are transferred onto a series of webs where the loose soil is sieved out. The potatoes are moved towards the back of t ...

s, which scoop up the plant and surrounding earth. This is transported up an apron chain consisting of steel links several feet wide, which separates some of the dirt. The chain deposits into an area where further separation occurs. Different designs use different systems at this point. The most complex designs use vine choppers and shakers, along with a blower system to separate the potatoes from the plant. The result is then usually run past workers who continue to sort out plant material, stones, and rotten potatoes before the potatoes are continuously delivered to a wagon or truck. Further inspection and separation occurs when the potatoes are unloaded from the field vehicles and put into storage. Potatoes are usually cured after harvest to improve skin-set. Skin-set is the process by which the skin of the potato becomes resistant to skinning damage. Potato tubers may be susceptible to skinning at harvest and suffer skinning damage during harvest and handling operations. Curing allows the skin to fully set and any wounds to heal. Wound-healing prevents infection and water-loss from the tubers during storage. Curing is normally done at relatively warm temperatures ({{convert, 50, to, 60, °F, °C, order=flip, disp=or) with high humidity and good gas-exchange if at all possible.

Storage

Storage facilities need to be carefully designed to keep the potatoes alive and slow the natural process of sprouting which involves the breakdown of starch. It is crucial that the storage area be dark, ventilated well, and, for long-term storage, maintained at temperatures near {{convert, 4, C, F. For short-term storage, temperatures of about {{convert, 7, to, 10, °C, °F are preferred.Potato storage, value Preservation: {{cite web , first = Pawanexh , last = Kohli , year = 2009 , title = Potato storage and value Preservation: The Basics , url = http://crosstree.info/Documents/POTATO_STORAGE.pdf , publisher = CrossTree techno-visors , access-date = 12 July 2009 , archive-date = 6 August 2020 , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200806192307/http://www.crosstree.info/Documents/POTATO_STORAGE.pdf , url-status = dead Temperatures below {{convert, 4, °C, °F convert the starch in potatoes into sugar, which alters their taste and cooking qualities and leads to higher

levels in the cooked product, especially in deep-fried dishes. The discovery of acrylamides in starchy foods in 2002 has led to international health concerns.{{cn, date=October 2022 It is not likely that the acrylamides in burnt or well-cooked food causes cancer in humans.{{cite web , url=https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/cancer-myths/can-eating-burnt-foods-cause-cancer , publisher=Cancer Research UK , title=Can eating burnt foods cause cancer? , date=15 October 2021 Chemicals are used to suppress sprouting of tubers during storage.

Chlorpropham Chlorpropham or CIPC is a plant growth regulator and herbicide used as a sprout suppressant for grass weeds, alfalfa, lima and snap beans, blueberries, cane fruit, carrots, cranberries, ladino clover, garlic, seed grass, onions, spinach, sugar b ...

(CIPC) is the main chemical used, but toxicity concerns have led to it being banned in the EU.{{cite news , last1=Epp , first1=Melanie , title=The Worry with CIPC , url=https://european-seed.com/2021/04/the-worry-with-cipc/ , access-date=12 June 2021 , work=EuropeanSeed , date=2021-04-12 Alternatives are applying

maleic hydrazide Maleic hydrazide, often known by the brand name Fazor is a plant growth regulator that reduces growth through preventing cell division but not cell enlargement. It is applied to the foliage of potato, onion, garlic and carrot crops to prevent sprou ...

to the crop whilst it is still growing or the use of

ethylene Ethylene (IUPAC name: ethene) is a hydrocarbon which has the formula or . It is a colourless, flammable gas with a faint "sweet and musky" odour when pure. It is the simplest alkene (a hydrocarbon with carbon-carbon double bonds). Ethylene i ...

, spearmint and orange oils and 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene. Under optimum conditions in commercial warehouses, potatoes can be stored for up to 10–12 months. The commercial storage and retrieval of potatoes involves several phases: first ''drying'' surface moisture; ''wound healing'' at 85% to 95%

relative humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...

and temperatures below {{convert, 25, °C, °F; a staged ''cooling phase''; a ''holding'' phase; and a ''reconditioning'' phase, during which the tubers are slowly warmed.

Mechanical ventilation Mechanical ventilation, assisted ventilation or intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV), is the medical term for using a machine called a ventilator to fully or partially provide artificial ventilation. Mechanical ventilation helps move air ...

is used at various points during the process to prevent condensation and the accumulation of carbon dioxide.

Yield

The world dedicated {{convert, 18.6, e6ha, e6acre, abbr=off to potato cultivation in 2010; the world average yield was {{convert, 17.4, t/ha, ST/acre, abbr=off. The United States was the most productive country, with a nationwide average yield of {{convert, 44.3, t/ha, ST/acre, abbr=off.{{cite web, title=FAOSTAT: Production-Crops, 2010 data , publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations , year=2011 , url=http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567#ancor , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114151638/http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567 , archive-date=14 January 2013 United Kingdom was a close second.

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

farmers have demonstrated some of the best commercial yields in the world, ranging between 60 and 80 tonnes per hectare, some reporting yields of 88 tonnes of potatoes per hectare. There is a big gap among various countries between high and low yields, even with the same variety of potato. Average potato yields in developed economies ranges between {{ Convert, 38 and 44, MT/ha. China and India accounted for over a third of world's production in 2010, and had yields of {{convert, 14.7 and 19.9, MT/ha respectively. The yield gap between farms in developing economies and developed economies represents an opportunity loss of over {{ Convert, 400, e6MT, e6ST e6LT, abbr=off of potato, or an amount greater than 2010 world potato production. Potato crop yields are determined by factors such as the crop breed, seed age and quality, crop management practices and the plant environment. Improvements in one or more of these yield determinants, and a closure of the yield gap, can be a major boost to food supply and farmer incomes in the developing world. The food energy yield of potatoes—about {{convert, 9.2, e6kcal/acre, GJ/ha, abbr=off, order=flip—is higher than that of maize ({{convert, 7.5, e6kcal/acre, GJ/ha, abbr=unit, disp=or, order=flip), rice ({{convert, 7.4, e6kcal/acre, GJ/ha, abbr=unit, disp=or, order=flip), wheat ({{convert, 3, e6kcal/acre, GJ/ha, abbr=unit, disp=or, order=flip), or

soybeans The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu and ...

({{convert, 2.8, e6kcal/acre, GJ/ha, abbr=unit, disp=or, order=flip).{{cite book , first1=Audrey , last1=Ensminger , first2=M.E., last2=Ensminger, first3=James E., last3=Konlande, title=Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia , year=1994 , publisher=CTC Press , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XMA9gYIj-C4C&pg=PA1104, isbn=978-0-8493-8981-8, page=1104

Climate change

{{Main, Climate change and potatoes

Climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

is predicted to have significant effects on global potato production.{{cite journal, last=Haverkort, first=A. J., author2=Verhagen, A., title=Climate Change and Its Repercussions for the Potato Supply Chain, journal= Potato Research, date=October 2008, volume=51, issue=3–4, pages=223–237, doi=10.1007/s11540-008-9107-0, s2cid=22794078 Like many crops, potatoes are likely to be affected by changes in atmospheric

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is transpar ...

, temperature and precipitation, as well as interactions between these factors. As well as affecting potatoes directly, climate change will also affect the distributions and populations of many potato diseases and pests.

Uses

{{See also, List of potato dishes {{See also, Potato cooking PreparedPotatoes

Potatoes are prepared in many ways: skin-on or peeled, whole or cut up, with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking to swell the starch granules. Most potato dishes are served hot but some are first cooked, then served cold, notably

potato salad Potato salad is a salad dish made from boiled potatoes, usually containing a dressing and a variety of other ingredients such as boiled eggs and raw vegetables. In the United States, it is generally considered a side dish and usually accompanie ...

and potato chips (crisps). Common dishes are: mashed potatoes, which are first boiled (usually peeled), and then mashed with milk or

yogurt Yogurt (; , from tr, yoğurt, also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial Fermentation (food), fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as ''yogurt cultures''. Fermentation of sugars in t ...

and butter; whole baked potatoes; boiled or steamed potatoes; French-fried potatoes or chips; cut into cubes and

roasted Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelization ...

; scalloped, diced, or sliced and fried ( home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (

hash browns Hash browns, also spelled hashed browns, are a popular American and British breakfast food, consisting of finely chopped potatoes that have been fried until browned. Hash browns first started appearing on breakfast menus in New York City in t ...

); grated and formed into

dumpling Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of dough (made from a variety of starch sources), oftentimes wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, flour, buckwheat or potatoes, and may be filled with meat, fi ...

s, Rösti or

potato pancake Potato pancakes are Frying, shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as Egg as food, egg or applesauce, often flavored with grated garlic or onion and seasoning. They may be topped with ...

s. Unlike many foods, potatoes can also be easily cooked in a

microwave oven A microwave oven (commonly referred to as a microwave) is an electric oven that heats and cooks food by exposing it to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequency range. This induces polar molecules in the food to rotate and produce t ...

and still retain nearly all of their nutritional value, provided they are covered in ventilated

plastic wrap Plastic wrap, cling film, Saran wrap, cling wrap, Glad wrap or food wrap is a thin plastic film typically used for sealing food items in containers to keep them fresh over a longer period of time. Plastic wrap, typically sold on rolls in boxes ...

to prevent moisture from escaping; this method produces a meal very similar to a steamed potato, while retaining the appearance of a conventionally baked potato. Potato chunks also commonly appear as a

stew A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. A stew needs to have raw ingredients added to the gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and ...

ingredient. Potatoes are boiled between 10 and 25 minutes, depending on size and type, to become soft.

Other than for eating

Potatoes are also used for purposes other than eating by humans, for example: * Potatoes are used to brew alcoholic beverages such as

vodka Vodka ( pl, wódka , russian: водка , sv, vodka ) is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impuritie ...

poitín Poitín (), anglicized as poteen () or potcheen, is a traditional Irish distilled beverage (40–90% ABV). Former common names for Poitín were "Irish moonshine" and "mountain dew". It was traditionally distilled in a small pot still and the te ...

, or akvavit. * They are also used as

fodder Fodder (), also called provender (), is any agriculture, agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, domestic rabbit, rabbits, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. "Fodder" refers particularly to food g ...

for

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animals ...

. Livestock-grade potatoes, considered too small and/or blemished to sell or market for human use but suitable for fodder use, have been called ''chats'' in some dialects. They may be stored in bins until use; they are sometimes ensiled.{{Citation , last=Halliday , first=Les , display-authors=etal , title=Ensiling Potatoes , work=Prince Edward Island Agriculture and Fisheries , date=2015 , url=http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/af_fact_ensipot.pdf , access-date=27 January 2018 , postscript=. Some farmers prefer to steam them rather than feed them raw and are equipped to do so efficiently. *

Potato starch Potato starch is starch extracted from potatoes. The cells of the root tubers of the potato plant contain leucoplasts (starch grains). To extract the starch, the potatoes are crushed, and the starch grains are released from the destroyed cells. Th ...

is used in the food industry as a thickener and binder for soups and sauces, in the textile industry as an adhesive, and for the manufacturing of papers and boards.{{cite book , title=Handbook of Potato Production, Improvement, and Postharvest , author1=Jai Gopal , author2=S.M. Paul Khurana , year=2006 , publisher= Haworth Press , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hxy8pkP26NEC&pg=PA544, isbn=978-1-56022-272-9, page=544 * Potatoes are commonly used in plant research. The consistent parenchyma tissue, the clonal nature of the plant and the low metabolic activity make it an ideal model tissue for experiments on wound-response studies and electron transport. * Potatoes have been delivered with personalized messages as a novelty. Potato delivery services include Potato Parcel and Mail A Spud.{{cite web, first1=Amy, last1=Atkins, url=http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/potato-parcel/Content?oid=3739387, title=Potato Parcel, work=

Boise Weekly ''Boise Weekly'' is a newspaper in Boise, Idaho, United States. It was founded in 1992 by Andy and Debi Hedden-Nicely and Larry Regan. It is owned by Adams Publishing Group's Western Division and is part of ''The Idaho Press''. It has an unaudi ...

, publisher=Boise Weekly, date=16 March 2016, access-date=11 August 2016, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808070630/http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/potato-parcel/Content?oid=3739387, archive-date=8 August 2016, url-status=dead {{Anchor, Latin America

Latin America

Peruvian cuisine naturally contains the potato as a primary ingredient in many dishes, as around 3,000 varieties of this tuber are grown there. Some of the more notable dishes include boiled potato as a base for several dishes or with ají-based sauces like in Papa a la Huancaína or ocopa, diced potato for its use in soups like in cau cau, or in

Carapulca Carapulcra, or carapulca, is an ancient Andean civilizations, Andean dish that has been prepared for centuries by both Quechua peoples and Aymara peoples. The original term for this dish in the Aymara language is , which means a stew made with ho ...

with dried potato (papa seca). Smashed condimented potato is used in causa Limeña and

papa rellena Papas rellenas (English: stuffed potatoes) are the most popular type of croquettes in Latin American regions such as Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and the Caribbean (more so the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto Rico). Th ...

. French-fried potatoes are a typical ingredient in Peruvian stir-fries, including the classic dish lomo saltado.

Chuño Chuño () is a freeze drying, freeze-dried potato product traditionally made by Quechua people, Quechua and Aymara people, Aymara communities of Bolivia and Peru, and is known in various countries of South America, including Bolivia, Peru, Chile a ...

is a freeze-dried potato product traditionally made by Quechua and Aymara communities of

and

, and is known in various countries of South America, including

, Bolivia,

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

, and

. In Chile's Chiloé Archipelago, potatoes are the main ingredient of many dishes, including milcaos, chapaleles,

curanto Curanto (from arn, kurantu 'stony') is a traditional Chilote method of cooking food using heated rocks buried in a earth oven that is covered with pangue leaves and turf. The fundamental components are seafood, potatoes, along with other traditi ...

and chochoca. In

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

, the potato, as well as being a staple with most dishes, is featured in the hearty ''locro de papas'', a thick soup of potato, squash, and cheese.

Europe

In the UK, potatoes form part of the traditional staple,

fish and chips Fish and chips is a popular hot dish consisting of fried fish in crispy batter, served with chips. The dish originated in England, where these two components had been introduced from separate immigrant cultures; it is not known who created t ...

. Roast potatoes are commonly served as part of a Sunday roast dinner and mashed potatoes form a major component of several other traditional dishes, such as shepherd's pie, bubble and squeak, and

bangers and mash Bangers and mash, also known as sausages and mash, is a traditional British dish, consisting of sausages served with mashed potatoes. It may consist of one of a variety of flavoured sausages made of pork, lamb, or beef (often specifically Cumber ...

. New potatoes may be cooked with

mint MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating system kernel for the Atari ST system and its successors. It is a multi-tasking alternative to TOS and MagiC. Together with the free system components fVDI device drivers, XaAES g ...

and are often served with butter. The

Tattie scone A tattie scone (tottie scone) or potato scone is a regional variant of the savoury griddle scone which is especially popular in Scotland. Many variations of the recipe exist. They generally include liberal quantities of boiled potatoes, butte ...

is a popular Scottish dish containing potatoes.

Colcannon Colcannon () is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale. Description Colcannon is most commonly made with only four ingredients: potatoes, butter, milk and cabbage (or kale). Irish historian Patrick Weston Joyce defined ...

is a traditional Irish food made with mashed potato, shredded

kale Kale (), or leaf cabbage, belongs to a group of cabbage (''Brassica oleracea'') cultivars grown for their edible leaves, although some are used as ornamentals. Kale plants have green or purple leaves, and the central leaves do not form a head ...

or cabbage, and onion;

champ Champ is the short form of champion. It may also refer to: People * Champ (nickname) * Champ (surname) * Champ Butler (1926–1992), American singer * Champ Lyons (born 1940), justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama from 1998 to 2011 * Champ Se ...

is a similar dish.

Boxty Boxty ( ir, bacstaí) is a traditional Irish potato pancake. The dish is mostly associated with the north midlands, north Connacht and southern Ulster, in particular the counties of Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Donegal, Fermanagh, Longford, and Cavan. ...

pancakes are eaten throughout Ireland, although associated especially with the North, and in Irish diaspora communities; they are traditionally made with grated potatoes, soaked to loosen the starch and mixed with flour, buttermilk and baking powder. A variant eaten and sold in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, especially

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

, is made with cooked and mashed potatoes. In the UK,

game chips Game chips are a traditional British accompaniment to roast gamebirds, such as pheasant, grouse, partridge and quail. They are thin slices of potato (sometimes dusted with flour; often crinkle-cut), deep-fried, and may be served hot or cold. Th ...

are a traditional accompaniment to roast

gamebird Galliformes is an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds that includes turkeys, chickens, quail, and other landfowl. Gallinaceous birds, as they are called, are important in their ecosystems as seed dispersers and predators, and are often ...

s such as pheasant, grouse, partridge and quail. Powdered cooked potato has been sold in the UK since the 1960s as Smash and is used as a food for camping and domestically. Halushky are the national dish of many Slavic nations. Halušky dumplings are made from a batter consisting of flour and grated potatoes. ''

Bryndzové halušky Bryndzové halušky () is one of the national dishes in Slovakia. This meal consists of halušky (boiled lumps of potato dough similar in appearance to gnocchi) and bryndza (a soft sheep cheese), optionally sprinkled with cooked bits of smoked pork ...

'' are associated to Slovak cuisine in particular. Bauernfrühstück-01

In Germany,

Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

(Finland, Latvia and especially Scandinavian countries), Eastern Europe (Russia,

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...

and

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

) and Poland, newly harvested, early ripening varieties are considered a special delicacy. Boiled whole and served un-peeled with dill, these "new potatoes" are traditionally consumed with

Baltic herring Atlantic herring (''Clupea harengus'') is a herring in the family Clupeidae. It is one of the most abundant fish species in the world. Atlantic herrings can be found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, congregating in large schools. They can ...

. Puddings made from grated potatoes (

kugel Kugel ( yi, קוגל , pronounced ) is a baked casserole, most commonly made from lokshen or Jewish egg noodles ( ) or potato. It is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish, often served on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. American Jews also serve it ...

, kugelis, and potato babka) are popular items of

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

Lithuanian Lithuanian may refer to: * Lithuanians * Lithuanian language * The country of Lithuania * Grand Duchy of Lithuania * Culture of Lithuania * Lithuanian cuisine * Lithuanian Jews as often called "Lithuanians" (''Lita'im'' or ''Litvaks'') by other Jew ...

, and

Belarusian Belarusian may refer to: * Something of, or related to Belarus * Belarusians, people from Belarus, or of Belarusian descent * A citizen of Belarus, see Demographics of Belarus * Belarusian language * Belarusian culture * Belarusian cuisine * Byelor ...

cuisine.{{cite book, author1=von Bremzen, Anya, author2=Welchman, John, title=Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook, publisher=Workman Publishing, location=New York, year=1990, page
319–20
isbn=978-0-89480-845-6, url=https://archive.org/details/pleasetotablethe00vonb/page/319 German fried potatoes and various versions of Potato salad are part of

German cuisine The cuisine of Germany () is made up of many different local or regional cuisines, reflecting the country's federal history. Germany itself is part of the larger cultural region of Central Europe, sharing many culinary traditions with neighbo ...

Bauernfrühstück Bauernfrühstück () (literally ''farmer's breakfast'') is a warm German dish made from fried potatoes, eggs, green onions, parsley, cheese, and bacon or ham. Despite its name, it is eaten not only for breakfast but also for lunch and dinner. ...

(literally ''farmer's breakfast'') is a warm German dish made from fried potatoes, eggs, ham and vegetables. Cepelinai 2, Vilnius, Lithuania - Diliff

Cepelinai is the national dish of

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

. They are a type of

made from grated raw potatoes boiled in water and usually stuffed with minced meat, although sometimes dry cottage cheese (

curd Curd is obtained by coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet or any edible acidic substance such as lemon ...

) or mushrooms are used instead. In Western Europe, especially in Belgium, sliced potatoes are fried to create ''frieten'', the original

French fried potatoes French fries (North American English), chips (British English), finger chips ( Indian English), french-fried potatoes, or simply fries, are '' batonnet'' or ''allumette''-cut deep-fried potatoes of disputed origin from Belgium and France. Th ...

. ''

Stamppot ''Stamppot'' (English: 'mash pot') is a traditional Dutch dish made from a combination of potatoes mashed with one or several vegetables. History and description These vegetable pairings traditionally include sauerkraut, endive, kale, spinach, tu ...

'', a traditional Dutch meal, is based on mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables. In France, the most notable potato dish is the ''

Hachis Parmentier Shepherd's pie, cottage pie, or in its French version hachis Parmentier is a savoury dish of cooked minced meat topped with mashed potato and baked. The meat used may be either previously cooked or freshly minced. The usual meats are beef or lam ...

'', named after

Antoine-Augustin Parmentier Antoine-Augustin Parmentier (, , ; 12 August 1737 – 13 December 1813) was a French pharmacist and agronomist, best remembered as a vocal promoter of the potato as a food source for humans in France and throughout Europe. His many other contribu ...

, a French pharmacist, nutritionist, and agronomist who, in the late 18th century, was instrumental in the acceptance of the potato as an edible crop in the country. ''

Pâté aux pommes de terre The ''pâté aux pommes de terre'', , (Occitan: pastís de treflas) or ''pâté de pommes de terre'' is a speciality of the Limousin and the Allier (Bourbonnais) regions in Central France. It can be served either as a side dish or as the main c ...

'' is a regional potato dish from the central

Allier Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named afte ...

and Limousin regions. ''

Gratin dauphinois Gratin dauphinois is a French dish of sliced potatoes baked in milk or cream, using the gratin technique, from the Dauphiné region in south-eastern France. There are many variants of the name of the dish, including pommes de terre dauphinoise ...

'', consisting of baked thinly sliced potatoes with cream or milk, and '' tartiflette'', with Reblochon cheese, are also widespread. In the north of Italy, in particular, in the Friuli region of the northeast, potatoes serve to make a type of pasta called gnocchi. Similarly, cooked and mashed potatoes or

potato flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cult ...

can be used in the

Knödel Knödel (; and ) or Klöße (; ) are boiled dumplings commonly found in Central European and East European cuisine. Central European countries in which their variant of ''Knödel'' is popular include Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, ...

eaten with or added to meat dishes all over central and Eastern Europe, but especially in

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

and

Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...

. Potatoes form one of the main ingredients in many soups such as the vichyssoise and Albanian potato and cabbage soup. In western Norway, komle is popular.

Potato pancake Potato pancakes are Frying, shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as Egg as food, egg or applesauce, often flavored with grated garlic or onion and seasoning. They may be topped with ...

s are popular all over Central Europe, and are also known in Scandinavia, and in Jewish cuisine. A traditional

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

dish is

Canarian wrinkly potatoes Papas arrugadas ( ) is a traditional boiled potato dish eaten in the Canary Islands. It is usually served with a chili pepper garlic sauce, called mojo rojo, or as an accompaniment to meat dishes. The dish is made from small new potatoes whi ...

or ''papas arrugadas''. ''

Tortilla de patatas Spanish omelette or Spanish tortilla is a traditional dish from Spain. Celebrated as a national dish by Spaniards, it is an essential part of the Spanish cuisine. It is an omelette made with eggs and potatoes, optionally including onion. It is of ...

'' (potato omelette) and ''

patatas bravas Patatas bravas (), also called ''patatas a la brava'' or ''papas bravas'', all meaning "spicy potatoes", is a dish native to Spain. It typically consists of white potatoes that have been cut into -wide cubes, then fried in oil and served warm w ...

'' (a dish of fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce) are near-universal constituent of Spanish tapas.

North America

In the US, potatoes have become one of the most widely consumed crops and thus have a variety of preparation methods and condiments.

French fries French fries (North American English), chips (British English), finger chips ( Indian English), french-fried potatoes, or simply fries, are '' batonnet'' or ''allumette''-cut deep-fried potatoes of disputed origin from Belgium and France. Th ...

and often

are commonly found in typical American fast-food burger "joints" and cafeterias. One popular favourite involves a baked potato with cheddar cheese (or sour cream and chives) on top, and in

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

"smashed potatoes" (a chunkier variation on mashed potatoes, retaining the peel) have a great popularity. Potato flakes are popular as an instant variety of mashed potatoes, which reconstitute into mashed potatoes by adding water, with butter or oil and salt to taste. A regional dish of Central New York,

salt potatoes Salt potatoes are a regional dish of Syracuse, New York, typically served in the summer when the young potatoes are first harvested. They are a staple food at fairs and barbecues in the Central New York region, where they are most popular. Po ...

are bite-size new potatoes boiled in water saturated with salt then served with melted butter. At more formal dinners, a common practice includes taking small red potatoes, slicing them, and roasting them in an iron skillet. Among

American Jews American Jews or Jewish Americans are American citizens who are Jewish, whether by religion, ethnicity, culture, or nationality. Today the Jewish community in the United States consists primarily of Ashkenazi Jews, who descend from diaspora J ...

, the practice of eating latkes (fried potato pancakes) is common during the festival of

Hanukkah or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem) , nickname = , observedby = Jews , begins = 25 Kislev , ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet , celebrations = Lighting candles each night. ...

. A traditional

Acadian The Acadians (french: Acadiens , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most Acadians live in the region of Acadia, as it is the region where the de ...

dish from

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

is known as ''poutine râpée''. The Acadian poutine is a ball of grated and mashed potato, salted, sometimes filled with pork in the centre, and boiled. The result is a moist ball about the size of a

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

. It is commonly eaten with salt and pepper or

brown sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

. It is believed to have originated from the German '' Klöße'', prepared by early German settlers who lived among the Acadians. '' Poutine'', by contrast, is a hearty serving of French fries, fresh cheese curds and hot gravy. Tracing its origins to

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

in the 1950s, it has become a widespread and popular dish throughout Canada. Potato grading for

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

potatoes is performed in which No. 1 potatoes are the highest quality and No. 2 are rated as lower in quality due to their appearance (e.g. blemishes or bruises, pointy ends). Potato density assessment can be performed by floating them in brines.{{cite book , last=Sivasankar , first=B. , year=2002 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tbxGHBUY0BcC&pg=PA175 , title=Food Processing and Preservation , publisher=PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. , pages=175–77 , isbn=81-203-2086-7 High-density potatoes are desirable in the production of dehydrated mashed potatoes, potato crisps and french fries. File:Burger and fries (1).jpg,

served with a hamburger File:OriginalPoutineLaBanquise.jpg, Poutine, a Canadian dish of fried potatoes, cheese curds, and gravy

South Asia

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...

, the potato is a very popular traditional staple. In India, the most popular potato dishes are ''aloo ki sabzi'',

batata vada Batata vada ( mr, बटाटा वडा, ) is a popular vegetarian fast food dish from the Indian state of Maharashtra. The dish consists of a mashed potato The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and ...

, and samosa, which is spicy mashed potato mixed with a small amount of vegetable stuffed in conical dough, and deep fried. Potatoes are also a major ingredient as fast food items, such as aloo chaat, where they are deep fried and served with

chutney A chutney is a spread in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion or mint dipping sauce. ...

. In Northern India, alu dum and alu paratha are a favourite part of the diet; the first is a spicy curry of boiled potato, the second is a type of stuffed chapati. A dish called

masala dosa Masala Dosa, also called Masale dosey ( ಮಸಾಲೆ ದೋಸೆ ), is a South Indian dish. It is a type of dosa and has its origin in Udupi cuisine of Karnataka. It is made from rice, lentils, Urad dal, Chana dal, fenugreek, puffed rice, ...

from South India is very notable all over India. It is a thin pancake of rice and pulse batter rolled over spicy smashed potato and eaten with sambhar and chutney. Poori in south India in particular in Tamil Nadu is almost always taken with smashed potato masal. Other favourite dishes are alu tikki and pakoda items. Vada pav is a popular vegetarian fast food dish in Mumbai and other regions in the Maharashtra in India. Aloo posto (a curry with potatoes and poppy seeds) is immensely popular in East India, especially Bengal. Although potatoes are not native to India, it has become a vital part of food all over the country especially North Indian food preparations. In Tamil Nadu this tuber acquired a name based on its appearance 'urulai-k-kizhangu' (உருளைக் கிழங்கு) meaning cylindrical tuber. The Aloo gosht, Potato and meat

curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in tradit ...

, is one of the popular dishes in

, especially in

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

East Asia

In East Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, rice is by far the predominant starch crop, with potatoes a secondary crop, especially in China and Japan. However, it is used in northern China where rice is not easily grown, with a popular dish being {{lang, zh-Hans, 青椒土豆丝 (''qīng jiāo tǔ dòu sī''), made with green pepper, vinegar and thin slices of potato. In the winter, roadside sellers in northern China will also sell roasted potatoes. It is also occasionally seen in Korean and Thai cuisines.{{cite book , title=Charmaine Solomon's Encyclopedia of Asian Food , author=Solomon, Charmaine , year=1996 , publisher=William Heinemann Australia , location=Melbourne , isbn=978-0-85561-688-5, page=293

Cultural significance

In art

The potato has been an essential crop in the

since the

pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, th ...

Era. The Moche culture from Northern

made ceramics from the earth, water, and fire. This pottery was a sacred substance, formed in significant shapes and used to represent important themes. Potatoes are represented anthropomorphically as well as naturally. During the late 19th century, numerous images of potato harvesting appeared in European art, including the works of

Willem Witsen Willem Witsen (13 August 1860, Amsterdam - 13 April 1923, Amsterdam) was a Dutch painter and photographer associated with the Amsterdam Impressionism movement. Witsen's work, influenced by James McNeill Whistler, often portrayed calm urban lands ...

and Anton Mauve.

Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inclu ...

's 1885 painting ''

The Potato Eaters ''The Potato Eaters'' ( nl, De Aardappeleters) is an oil painting by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh painted in April 1885 in Nuenen, Netherlands. It is in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The original oil sketch of the painting is at the Kröller ...

'' portrays a family eating potatoes. Van Gogh said he wanted to depict peasants as they really were. He deliberately chose coarse and ugly models, thinking that they would be natural and unspoiled in his finished work.{{cite web, url=http://www.vggallery.com/visitors/004.htm, title=The Potato Eaters by Vincent van Gogh, last=van Tilborgh, first=Louis , year=2009, work=The Vincent van Gogh Gallery, access-date=11 September 2009 Jean-François Millet's ''The Potato Harvest'' depicts peasants working in the plains between Barbizon and Chailly. It presents a theme representative of the peasants' struggle for survival. Millet's technique for this work incorporated paste-like pigments thickly applied over a coarsely textured canvas. File:Van-willem-vincent-gogh-die-kartoffelesser-03850.jpg, ''

'' by

, 1885 ( Van Gogh Museum) File:Jean-François Millet - The Potato Harvest - Walters 37115.jpg, ''

The Potato Harvest ''The Potato Harvest'' is an oil-on-canvas painting by the French artist Jean-François Millet, created in 1855. It is held at The Walters Art Museum, in Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, mo ...

'' by Jean-François Millet, 1855 (

Walters Art Museum The Walters Art Museum, located in Mount Vernon-Belvedere, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is a public art museum founded and opened in 1934. It holds collections established during the mid-19th century. The museum's collection was amassed ...

)

In popular culture

Invented in 1949, and marketed and sold commercially by Hasbro in 1952,

Mr. Potato Head Mr. Potato Head is an American toy brand consisting of a plastic model of a potato "head" to which a variety of plastic parts can attach — typically ears, eyes, shoes, hat, nose, pants and mouth. Mr. Potato Head was invented and manufact ...

is an American toy that consists of a plastic potato and attachable plastic parts, such as ears and eyes, to make a face. It was the first toy ever advertised on television.{{cite web, url=http://www.vam.ac.uk/moc/collections/toys/construction_toys/mr_potato_head/index.html, title=Mr Potato Head, website=Museum of Childhood , publisher=V&A Museum of Childhood, access-date=11 September 2009 In June, 1992 at the Muñoz Rivera Elementary School spelling bee in Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle was handed a flash card that incorrectly spelled "potato" as "potatoe" and then prompted a 12-year-old student to change his correct spelling.{{cite news, url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/nyregion/politics-how-do-you-spell-regret-one-man-s-take-on-it.html, title=How Do You Spell Regret? One Man's Take on It, first=Mark, last=Fass, work=The New York Times, access-date=March 20, 2009, date=August 29, 2004, archive-date=March 23, 2009, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323093130/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/nyregion/politics-how-do-you-spell-regret-one-man-s-take-on-it.html, url-status=live This incident was the subject of widespread ridicule.

References

Citations

{{Reflist

General and cited sources

{{Refbegin, 2 * ''Economist''. "Llamas and mash"
''The Economist'' 28 February 2008 online
* ''Economist''. "The potato: Spud we like", (leader
''The Economist'' 28 February 2008 online
* {{cite journal , last1 = Boomgaard , first1 = Peter , year = 2003 , title = In the Shadow of Rice: Roots and Tubers in Indonesian History, 1500–1950 , journal =

Agricultural History Agriculture began independently in different parts of the globe, and included a diverse range of taxa. At least eleven separate regions of the Old and New World were involved as independent centers of origin. The development of agriculture a ...

, volume = 77 , issue = 4, pages = 582–610 , jstor=3744936 , doi=10.1525/ah.2003.77.4.582 * Hawkes, J.G. (1990). ''The Potato: Evolution, Biodiversity & Genetic Resources'', Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC * {{cite book , last1 = Lang , first1 = James , year = 1975 , title = Notes of a Potato Watcher , series = Texas A&M University Agriculture series , isbn = 978-1-58544-138-9 , url-access = registration , url = https://archive.org/details/notesofpotatowat0000lang * {{Cite journal , last=Langer , first=William L , title=American Foods and Europe's Population Growth 1750–1850 , journal = Journal of Social History , volume = 8 , issue = 2, pages = 51–66 , jstor=3786266 , doi=10.1353/jsh/8.2.51, year=1975 * McNeill, William H. "How the Potato Changed the World's History." ''Social Research'' (1999) 66#1 pp. 67–83. {{ISSN, 0037-783X Fulltext: Ebsco, by a leading historian * {{cite journal , author = McNeill William H , year = 1948 , title = The Introduction of the Potato into Ireland , journal =

Journal of Modern History ''The Journal of Modern History'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering European intellectual, political, and cultural history, published by the University of Chicago Press. Established in 1929, the journal covers events from appro ...

, volume = 21 , issue = 3, pages = 218–21 , jstor=1876068 , doi=10.1086/237272, s2cid = 145099646 * Ó Gráda, Cormac. ''Black '47 and Beyond: The Great Irish Famine in History, Economy, and Memory.'' (1999). 272 pp. * Ó Gráda, Cormac, Richard Paping, and Eric Vanhaute, eds. ''When the Potato Failed: Causes and Effects of the Last European Subsistence Crisis, 1845–1850.'' (2007). 342 pp. {{ISBN, 978-2-503-51985-2. 15 essays by scholars looking at Ireland and all of Europe * Reader, John. ''Propitious Esculent: The Potato in World History'' (2008), 315pp a standard scholarly history * Salaman, Redcliffe N. (1989). ''The History and Social Influence of the Potato'', Cambridge University Press (originally published in 1949; reprinted 1985 with new introduction and corrections by J.G. Hawkes). * Stevenson, W.R., Loria, R., Franc, G.D., and Weingartner, D.P. (2001) ''Compendium of Potato Diseases'', 2nd ed, Amer. Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN. * Zuckerman, Larry. ''The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World.'' (1998). 304 pp. Douglas & McIntyre. {{ISBN, 0-86547-578-4. {{Refend

External links

''Solanum tuberosum'' (potato, papas): life cycle, tuber anatomy at GeoChemBio
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408035017/http://www.geochembio.com/biology/organisms/potato/ , date=8 April 2022 {{Potato cultivars, state=expanded {{Sister bar, d=Q10998, b=Cookbook:Potato, wikt=potato, c=Solanum tuberosum, species=Solanum tuberosum, auto=1 {{Agriculture country lists, state=collapsed {{Bioenergy {{Taxonbar, from=Q10998 {{Authority control Crops originating from Bolivia Crops originating from indigenous Americans Crops originating from Peru Crops originating from South America Cuisine of Northern Ireland Edible Solanaceae Flora of the Andes Irish cuisine Plants described in 1753 Root vegetables Solanum Staple foods Stoloniferous plants Tubers

Etymology

Biology

Taxonomic synonyms

Description

Genetics

Varieties

Pigmentation

Genetically engineered potatoes

Biosynthesis of starch

History

Production

Nutrition

Comparison to other staple foods

Toxicity

Growth and cultivation

Seed potatoes

Phases of growth

Challenges

Pests and disease

Harvest

Storage

Yield

Climate change

Uses

Other than for eating

Latin America

Europe

North America

South Asia

East Asia

Cultural significance

In art

In popular culture

See also

References

Citations

General and cited sources

Further reading

External links