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| The potato was invented in 1920 by sir thomas moor as a means of demoralising the german army, the potato would be used in battle by frying it to make the foodstuff known as "Chips" (pron. CH-I-P-S for all you morons out there). The smell would waft over to the german trenches and their soldiers would scramble over the top to get at whatever was causing the heavenly odour where they would be mowed down. | |||
| The '''potato''' is a ]y, ]ous ] from the ] ''] tuberosum'' of the ] family. Potato may refer to the plant itself as well. In the region of the ], there are some other closely related cultivated potato species. Potato is the world's most widely grown tuber crop, and the fourth largest food crop in terms of fresh produce after ], ], and ]. | |||
| Wild potato species occur from the United States to Uruguay and Chile<ref>{{cite journal | title= Geographic distribution of wild potato species | last = Hijmans | first = RJ | coauthors = DM Spooner | journal = ] | volume = 88 | issue = 11 | pages = 2101–2112 | url=http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/88/11/2101}}</ref>. Genetic testing of the wide variety of ]s and wild species suggest that the potato has a single origin in the area of southern ],<ref>{{cite journal | title= A single domestication for potato based on multilocus amplified fragment length polymorphism genotyping | last = Spooner | first = DM | coauthors = et al. | journal = ] | volume = 102 | issue = 41 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.0507400102 | pages = 14694–99}} </ref> from a species in the ''Solanum brevicaule'' complex. Today, over 99% of all cultivated potatoes worldwide are descendants of a subspecies indigenous to south-central ].<ref name="chile">{{cite web | url = http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/uow-uds012908.php | title = Using DNA, scientists hunt for the roots of the modern potato | accessdate = 2008-09-10 | date = 2008-01-29 | last = Miller | first = N | publisher = ]}}</ref> Based on historical records, local agriculturalists, and ] analyses, the most widely cultivated variety worldwide, ''Solanum tuberosum tuberosum'', is believed to be indigenous to ] where it was cultivated by the indigenous people.<ref>{{cite journal | url = http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-34582007000300011&lng=en&nrm= | title = Molecular description and similarity relationships among native germplasm potatoes (Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum L.) using morphological data and AFLP markers | last = Solis | first = JS | coauthors = et al. | journal = Electronic Journal of Biotechnology | year = 2007 | volume = 10 | issue = 3 | doi = 10.2225/vol10-issue3-fulltext-14 }}</ref> | |||
| The potato was introduced to ] in 1536,<ref name = Council>{{cite web | url = http://www.britishpotatoes.co.uk/history-of-potatoes/ | title = History of Potatoes | publisher = The Potato Council, Oxford, UK | accessdate = 2008-09-10 }}</ref> and subsequently by European mariners to territories and ports throughout the world.<ref name=China>{{cite web | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080128154903/http://research.cip.cgiar.org/confluence/display/wpa/China | url = http://research.cip.cgiar.org/confluence/display/wpa/China | archivedate = 2008-01-28 | accessdate = 2008-09-10 | date = 2007-11-06 | publisher = ] | title = World Potato Atlas: China - History and Overview | last = Theisen | first = K }}</ref> Thousands of varieties persist in the Andes, where over 100 varieties might be found in a single valley, and a dozen or more might be maintained by a single agricultural household.<ref>{{cite web | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080114015939/http://research.cip.cgiar.org/confluence/display/wpa/Peru | url = http://research.cip.cgiar.org/confluence/display/wpa/Peru | accessdate = 2008-09-10 | archivedate = 2008-01-14 | publisher = ] | title = World Potato Atlas: Peru - History and overview | date = 2007-01-01 | last = Theisen | first = K }}</ref> Once established in Europe, the potato soon became an important food staple and field crop. But lack of genetic diversity, due to the fact that very few varieties were initially introduced, left the crop vulnerable to disease. In 1845, a plant disease known as late blight, caused by the fungus-like oocmycete '']'', spread rapidly through the poorer communities of western ], resulting in the crop failures that led to the ].<ref name = Council/> | |||
| The annual diet of an average global citizen in the first decade of the twenty-first century would include about 33 kilograms (or 73 lbs.) of potato. However, the local importance of potato is extremely variable and rapidly changing. The potato remains an essential crop in Europe (especially eastern and central Europe), where per capita production is still the highest in the world, but the most rapid expansion of potato over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia. China is now the world’s largest potato producing country, and nearly a third of the world’s potatoes are harvested in China and India<ref>{{cite journal|title=Global distribution of the potato crop|last = Hijmans|first=Robert|journal =| volume = 78 | issue=6|pages=403–412| url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/x337773202025363/}}</ref>. More generally, the geographic shift of potato production has been away from wealthier countries toward lower-income areas of the world.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.potato2008.org/en/world/index.html | title = Potato World - World-wide potato production statistics | publisher = website for the ] | accessdate = 2008-09-10 }}</ref> | |||
| ==Etymology== | |||
| The English word ''potato'' comes from ] ''patata'' (the name used in ]). The ] says the Spanish word is a compound of the ] ''batata'' (]) and the ] ''papa'' (potato).<ref></ref> This probably indicates that originally, the potato was regarded as a type of sweet potato rather than the other way around, despite the fact that there is actually no close relationship between the two plants at all. Potatoes are occasionally referred to as Irish potatoes in the English speaking world, this term originated to distinguish them from ]es. | |||
| ] ''cartof'', ] ''картопля'' (kartóplja), ] ''картоф'' (kartof), ] ''картофель'' (kartofel), ] ''Kartoffel'', ] ''kartoffel'', ] ''kartafla'' (or ''jarðepli'', see below), ] ''kartupelis'', and ] ''kartul'' (as well as many other similar names in various languages) all derive from the ] word ''tartufoli'', which was given to potato because of its similarity to ]s (Italian: ''tartufo''). However, the current Italian term for the potato is ''patata''. | |||
| Another common name is "ground apple": ''pomme de terre'' in ], ''aardappel'' in ], ''jarðepli'' in ] (or ''kartafla'', see above), ''תפוח אדמה'' in ] (often written just as ''תפוד''), and ''Erdapfel'' in ]. An analogous name is ] as ''peruna'', which comes from the old ] term ''jordpäron'' "earth pear". In 16th century French, ''pomme'' meant "]", thus ''pomme de terre'' meant "ground fruit" and was probably literally ] to other languages when potatoes were introduced. In ] potato is called just ''ziemniaki'' or in some regions "kartofle", and in ] ''zemiak'', from the word for "ground". In ] it is called ''seeb-i zameen'' (سیبزمینی) which also translates into 'ground apple'. | |||
| In ], ], and several other Indian languages the potato is called ''alu'' or ''aloo'', while in ] and ], the potato is called ''bataka'' or ''batata''. | |||
| {{ChineseText}} | |||
| Different names for the potato developed in China's various regions. The most widely used names in ] are "horse-bell ]" ({{zh-sp|s=马铃薯|p=mǎlíngshǔ}}), "earth ]" ({{zh-sp|s=土豆|p=tǔdòu}}), and "foreign ]" ({{zh-sp|s=洋芋|p=yángyù}}). The Indonesian word is ''kentang''. | |||
| <!-- To be translated: | |||
| Друг често срещан подход е свързан с произхода на картофа: „чужда грудка“, „батавска грудка“ на японски, от Батавия (сега Джакарта) на остров Ява. На чешки език картофите се наричат „brambory“ от името на немския град Бранденбург. В Бразилия се използва името „batata“, но пълното наименование е „batata inglesa“ (английски картоф). В САЩ хората все още понякога говорят за „ирландски картоф“ (Irish potato), което показва източника, от който са въведени картофите в британските североамерикански колонии. Наименованието „ирландски картоф“ улеснява разграничението от сладкия картоф, но пък сладкият картоф често е наричан в САЩ ям, което от своя страна е съвсем различна култура. --> | |||
| ==Description== | |||
| ] | |||
| Potato plants are herbaceous ]s that grow about 60cm high, depending on variety, the culms dying back after flowering. They bear white to purple ]s with yellow ]s resembling those of other Solanaceous species such as ] and ]. Potatoes are ] mostly by ], including ]s that carry pollen from other potato plants, but a substantial amount of self-fertilizing occurs as well. | |||
| After potato plants flower, some varieties will produce small green fruits that resemble green ]es, each containing up to 300 true ]s. Potato fruit contains large amounts of the ] ] ], and is therefore unsuitable for consumption. | |||
| All new potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called "true seed" or "botanical seed" to distinguish it from seed tubers. By finely chopping the fruit and soaking it in water, the seeds will separate from the flesh by sinking to the bottom after about a day (the remnants of the fruit will float). Any potato variety can also be ] by planting tubers, pieces of tubers, cut to include at least one or two eyes, or also by cuttings, a practice used in greenhouses for the production of healthy seed tubers. Some commercial potato varieties do not produce ]s at all (they bear imperfect flowers) and are propagated only from tuber pieces. Confusingly, these tubers or tuber pieces are called "seed potatoes". | |||
| ==Genetics== | |||
| The potatoes cultivated in the Andes are not all the same species. However, the major species grown worldwide is ''Solanum tuberosum'' (a ] with 48 ]s). Modern varieties of this species are the most widely cultivated worldwide. There are also four diploid species (with 24 chromosomes): ''Solanum stenotomum, Solanum phureja, Solanum goniocalyx'' and ''Solanum ajanhuiri''. There are two triploid species (with 36 chromosomes): ''Solanum chaucha'' and ''Solanum juzepczukii''. There is one pentaploid cultivated species (with 60 chromosomes): ''Solanum curtilobum''. | |||
| There are two major subspecies of ''Solanum tuberosum'': ''andigena'', or Andean; and ''tuberosum'', or Chilean.<ref> </ref> The Andean potato is adapted to the short-day conditions prevalent in the mountainous equatorial and tropical regions where it originated. The Chilean potato is adapted to the long-day conditions prevalent in the higher latitude region of southern Chile, especially on ] where it is thought to have originated.<ref></ref> | |||
| There are about five thousand potato varieties world wide. 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 five thousand cultivated varieties, there are about 200 wild species and subspecies, many of which can be cross-bred with cultivated varieties, which 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. ] varieties have met public resistance in the United States and in the European Union.<ref>{{cite web|title=Consumer acceptance of genetically modified potatoes|publisher=American Journal of Potato Research cited through Bnet|year=2002|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4069/is_/ai_n9144615 | |||
| |accessdate=2008-11-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=A Genetically Modified Potato, Not for Eating, Is Stirring Some Opposition in Europe | |||
| |publisher=]|year=2007|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/24/business/worldbusiness/24spuds.html | |||
| |accessdate=2008-11-15}}</ref> | |||
| Most modern potatoes grown in North America arrived through European settlement and not independently from the South American sources. However, at least one wild potato species, ''Solanum fendleri'', is found as far north as Texas and used in breeding for resistance to a nematode species attacking cultivated potatoes. A secondary center of genetic variability of the potato is Mexico, where important wild species are found that have been used extensively in modern breeding, such as the hexaploid ''Solanum demissum,'' as a source of resistance to the devastating late blight disease. Another plant native to this region, '']'', a close relative of the potato, has been used to genetically engineer the potato to effectively resist potato blight.<ref> </ref> | |||
| The ], based in ], holds an ]-accredited collection of potato ].<ref>{{cite web|title=ISO accreditation a world-first for CIP genebank|publisher=]|year=2008|url=http://www.cipotato.org/pressroom/press_releases_detail.asp?cod=55|accessdate=2008-11-19}}</ref> | |||
| ==Role in world food supply== | |||
| {{Agricultural production box | |||
| |year=2006 | |||
| |plant=Potato | |||
| |country1={{PRC}} | |||
| |amount1=70 | |||
| |country2={{RUS}} | |||
| |amount2=39 | |||
| |country3={{IND}} | |||
| |amount3=24 | |||
| |country4={{USA}} | |||
| |amount4=20 | |||
| |country5={{UKR}} | |||
| |amount5=19 | |||
| |country6={{GER}} | |||
| |amount6=10 | |||
| |country7={{POL}} | |||
| |amount7=9 | |||
| |country8={{BEL}} | |||
| |amount8=8 | |||
| |country9={{NLD}} | |||
| |amount9=7 | |||
| |country10={{FRA}} | |||
| |amount10=6 | |||
| |world=315 | |||
| }} | |||
| The potato became an important staple crop in northern ] as the climate changed due to the ], when traditional crops in this region did not produce as reliably as before. At times when and where most other crops would fail, potatoes could still typically be relied upon to contribute adequately to food supplies during the colder years. Its yield of calories per acre (about 9.2 million) is higher than that of ] (7.5 milion), ] (7.4 million), ] (3 million), or ] (2.8 million).<ref>{{cite book|author=Audrey Ensminger|coauthors=M. E. Ensminger, James E. Konlande|title=Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia|year=1994|publisher=]|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=XMA9gYIj-C4C&pg=PA1104&dq=potatoes+calories+per+acre&as_brr=3}}</ref> The potato was not popular in ] during this time, and it is believed that some of the infamous ]s could have been lessened if French farmers had adopted it. Today, the potato forms an important part of the traditional cuisines of most of ]. ] has the highest consumption of potato ] with each Belorussian consuming 338 kg in 2005.<ref>Economist.com Llamas and mash </ref><ref>International year of the potato website </ref> | |||
| ] | |||
| The United Nations ] reports that the world production of potatoes in 2006 was 315 million tonnes. The largest producer, China, accounted for one quarter of the global output, followed by Russia and India. | |||
| In 2008, several international organizations began to give more emphasis to the potato as a key part of world food production, due to several developing economic problems. They cited the potato's potential for a beneficial role in world food production, owing to its status as a cheap and plentiful crop which can be raised in a wide variety of climates and locales. <ref name="Reuters 415"> By Terry Wade, Reuters, Apr 15,2008. </ref> Due to perishability, only about 5% of the world's potato crop is traded internationally; its minimal presence in world financial markets contributed to its stable pricing during the ].<ref>{{cite web|title= Getting Out of the food crisis|publisher=]|url=http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/hunger/general/2008/07grain.htm|accessdate=2008-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Potatoes called savior in global food crisis|publisher=]|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/26/MN2O13O982.DTL|accessdate=2008-11-14}}</ref> | |||
| In recognition of this importance, the ] officially declared the year 2008 as the '']'' <ref></ref> in order to “increase awareness of the importance of the potato as a food in developing nations” and calling the vegetable a “hidden treasure”.<ref>'Humble' Potato Emerging as World's next Food Source, p. 20</ref> This follows the International ] Year in 2004. | |||
| ] companies are exploring the possibilities of using waste potatoes to obtain ] for use in plastic products. | |||
| ==Nutrition== | |||
| ] fruits produced by mature potato plants]] | |||
| {{nutritionalvalue | name=Potato, raw, with peel | water=75 g | kJ=321 | protein=2 g | carbs=19 g | fat=0.1 g | fiber=2.2 g | starch=15 g | vitA_mg=5 | thiamin_mg=0.08 | riboflavin_mg=0.03 | vitB6_mg=0.25 | vitC_mg=20 | niacin_mg=1.1 | iron_mg=1.8 | calcium_mg=12 | magnesium_mg=23 | phosphorus_mg=57 | potassium_mg=421 | sodium_mg=6 | right=1 }} | |||
| Nutritionally, potatoes are best known for their ] content (approximately 26 grams in a medium potato). The predominant form of this carbohydrate is ]. A small but significant portion of this starch is resistant to digestion by ]s in the ] and ], and so reaches the ] essentially intact. This ] is considered to have similar physiological effects and health benefits as ]: it provides bulk, offers protection against ], improves ] tolerance and insulin sensitivity, lowers plasma cholesterol and ] concentrations, increases satiety, and possibly even reduces fat storage (Cummings et al. 1996; Hylla et al 1998; Raban et al. 1994). The amount of resistant starch in potatoes depends much on preparation methods. Cooking and then cooling potatoes significantly increases resistant starch. For example, cooked potato starch contains about 7% resistant starch, which increases to about 13% upon cooling (Englyst et al. 1992). | |||
| Potatoes contain ]s and ] that have been identified as vital to human nutrition. A medium potato (150g/5.3 oz) with the skin provides 27 mg of ] (45% of the Daily Value (DV)), 620 mg of ] (18% of DV), 0.2 mg ] (10% of DV) and trace amounts of ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Moreover, the fiber content of a potato with skin (2 grams) equals that of many whole grain ]s, ]s, and ]s. Potatoes also contain an assortment of ], such as ] and ]. The notion that “all of the potato’s nutrients” are found in the skin is an ]. While the skin does contain approximately half of the total dietary fiber, more than 50% of the nutrients are found within the potato itself. The cooking method used can significantly impact the nutrient availability of the potato. | |||
| Potatoes are often broadly classified as high on the ] (GI) and so are often excluded from the diets of individuals trying to follow a “low GI” eating regimen. In fact, the GI of potatoes can vary considerably depending on type (such as red, russet, white, or Prince Edward), origin (where it was grown), preparation methods (i.e., cooking method, whether it is eaten hot or cold, whether it is mashed or cubed or consumed whole, etc), and with what it is consumed (i.e., the addition of various high fat or high protein toppings) (Fernandes et al. 2006). | |||
| == Toxicity == | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| Potatoes contain ]s, toxic compounds, of which the most prevalent are ] and chaconine. These compounds, which protect the plant from its predators, are generally concentrated in its leaves, stems, and sprouts. Exposure to light, physical damage, and age increase glycoalkaloid content within the tuber;<ref>{{cite web|title=Greening of potatoes|publisher=Food Science Australia|year=2005|url=http://www.foodscience.afisc.csiro.au/spuds.htm|accessdate=2008-11-15}}</ref> the highest concentrations occur just underneath the skin. Cooking at high temperatures (over 170 °C or 340 °F) partly destroys these. The concentration of glycoalkaloid in wild potatoes suffices to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloids may cause ]s, ], ] and in severe cases ] and death; however, ]ing from potatoes occurs very rarely. Light exposure causes greening, thus giving a visual clue as to areas of the tuber that may have become more toxic; however, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other. Some varieties of potato contain greater glycoalkaloid concentrations than others; breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising ]. | |||
| Breeders try to keep ] levels below 200 mg/kg (200 ppmw). However, when these commercial varieties turn green, even they can approach concentrations of solanine of 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 7–187 mg/kg being found.<ref>''Glycoalkaloid and calystegine contents of eight potato cultivars'' | |||
| </ref> | |||
| The US National Toxicology Program suggests that the average American consumes at most 12.5 mg/day of solanine from potatoes (the toxic dose is actually several times this, depending on body weight). Dr. Douglas L. Holt, the State Extension Specialist for Food Safety at the ], notes that no reported cases of potato-source solanine poisoning have occurred in the U.S. in the last 50 years and most cases involved eating green potatoes or drinking potato-leaf tea. | |||
| Solanine is also found in other plants, mainly in the mostly deadly ] family, which includes a minority of edible plants including the potato and the ], and other typically more dangerous plants like ]. This poison affects the nervous system causing weakness and confusion. | |||
| == Cultivation == | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| Correct potato husbandry is an arduous task in the best of circumstances. Good ground preparation, harrowing, 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. Potatoes are the most fruitful of the root crops, but much care and consideration is needed to keep them satisfied and fruitful. | |||
| Potatoes are generally 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 should be harvested before heavy ]s, which damage potatoes in the ground, and even cold weather makes potatoes more susceptible to bruising and possibly later rotting which can quickly ruin a large stored crop. | |||
| At harvest time, gardeners usually dig up potatoes with a long-handled, three-prong "grape" (or graip), i.e. a ], or a potato hook which is similar to the graip but its tines are at a 90 degree angle to the handle. In larger plots, the ] can serve as the fastest implement for unearthing potatoes. Commercial harvesting is typically done with large ]s which scoop up the plant and the 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 or "Flying Willard" 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 thicken their skin. Prior to curing, the skin is very thin and delicate. These potatoes are sometimes sold as "New Potatoes" and are particularly flavorful. New potatoes are often harvested by the home gardener or farmer by "grabbling", i.e. pulling out the young tubers by hand while leaving the plant in place. In additions, markets may sometimes present various thin-skinned potato varieties as "new potatoes". | |||
| Storage facilities need to be carefully designed to keep the potatoes alive and slow the natural process of decomposition, which involves the breakdown of starch. It is crucial that the storage area is dark, well ventilated and for long-term storage maintained at temperatures near 40°F (4°C). For short-term storage prior to cooking, temperatures of about 45-50°F (7-10°C) are preferred.<!-- | |||
| --><ref name="healthypotato"> - Healthy Potato.com</ref> Temperatures below 40°F (4°C) convert potatoes' starch into sugar, which alters their taste and cooking qualities and leads to higher ] levels in the cooked product, especially in deep-fried dishes. | |||
| Under optimum conditions possible in commercial warehouses, potatoes can be stored for up to six months, at homes usually only for several weeks.<ref name="healthypotato" /> If potatoes develop green areas or start to sprout, these areas should be trimmed before using.<ref name="healthypotato" /> | |||
| ===Varieties=== | |||
| Potatoes have been bred into many standard or well-known varieties, each of which have particular agricultural or culinary attributes. Varieties are generally categorized into a few main groups—such as russets, reds, whites, yellows (also called Yukons) and purples—based on common characteristics. Popular varieties include: | |||
| {| | |||
| || | |||
| * ] | |||
| * Bintje | |||
| * Fianna | |||
| * Kestrel | |||
| * ] | |||
| * Kipfler | |||
| || | |||
| * Nicola | |||
| * Pink Eye | |||
| * Pink Fir Apple | |||
| * ] | |||
| * Rooster | |||
| * ] | |||
| * Spunta | |||
| || | |||
| * ]<ref></ref> | |||
| * Camota | |||
| * Cielo | |||
| * Pachacoña | |||
| * Clavela Blanca | |||
| * Cabritas | |||
| * Chelina | |||
| |} | |||
| Genetic research has produced at least one ] variety, the ''New Leaf'', owned by ] corporation. On September 22, 2007, ] ] (BSU) announced that four potato varieties—Igorota, Solibao, Ganza and one not yet officially named—possess more than 18% ] ] required by ] chains to make ] and sturdy ].<ref></ref> | |||
| Some horticulturists sell ], made by grafting a tomato plant onto a potato plant, producing both edible tomatoes and potatoes. This practice is not very widespread. | |||
| ===Pests=== | |||
| {{Main|List of potato diseases}} | |||
| The historically significant ] (late blight) is an ongoing problem in Europe<ref>{{cite web|title=NJF seminar No. 388 Integrated Control of Potato Late Blight in the Nordic and Baltic Countries. Copenhagen, Denmark, 29 Nov. –1 Dec. 2006|publisher=Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists|url=http://www.njf.nu/filebank/files/20060330$105643$fil$vodD3dJE390Hb92eKsGd.pdf|accessdate=2008-11-14}}</ref> and the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=Potato Late Blight in 2006; the year in review and what to look for in 2007|publisher=]|url=http://www.umaine.edu/umext/potatoprogram/images/Johnson%209.00.pdf|accessdate=2008-11-14}}</ref> | |||
| Insects that commonly transmit potato diseases or damage the plants include the ], the ], the ], ], ], and ]. The ] is a microscopic worm that thrives on the roots, thus causing the potato plants to wilt. Since its eggs can survive in the soil for several years, ] is recommended. | |||
| Other potato diseases include ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. | |||
| ==Preparation== | |||
| ] | |||
| Potatoes are prepared in many ways: skin-on or peeled, whole or cut up, with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking to break down the starch. Most potato dishes are served hot, but some are first cooked then served cold, notably ] and ]. | |||
| Common dishes are: ]es, which are first boiled (usually peeled), and then mashed with ] or ] and ]; whole ]es; ] or ] potatoes; ]; cut into cubes and ]; ], diced, or sliced and fried (home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (hash browns); grated and formed into dumplings, ] or ]s. Unlike many foods, potatoes can also be easily cooked in a ] and still retain nearly all of their nutritional value, provided that they are covered in ventilated ] to prevent ] 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 ] ingredient. | |||
| For culinary purposes, potato varieties are often described in terms of their waxiness. The distinction arises from the comparative ratio of two potato starch compounds: ] and ]. Amylose, a long-chain molecule, disintegrates easily when cooked in water, and lends itself to dishes in which the potato is mashed; varieties containing a higher amylopectin content are classified as waxy. Since amylopectin is a more branched and stable molecule, waxy varieties are preferred in dishes where the potato is expected to retain its shape.<ref>{{cite web|title=Potato Primer|publisher=]|url=http://www.cooksillustrated.com/images/document/howto/JF07_PotatoPrimer.pdf|accessdate=2008-12-08}}</ref> Potatoes are boiled between 10 and 25<ref> </ref> minutes, depending on size and type, to become soft. | |||
| ===Regional dishes=== | |||
| ====Latin America==== | |||
| ] naturally contains the potato as a primary ingredient in many dishes, as around 3,000 varieties of this tuber are grown there.<ref></ref> | |||
| Some of the more famous dishes include ], ], Ocopa, Carapulcra, Causa and Cau Cau among many others. French-fried potatoes are a typical ingredient in Peruvian stir-fries, including the classic dish ]. | |||
| In ] 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. | |||
| In Chile's Chiloé archipelago, potatoes are the main ingredient of many dishes, including milcaos, chapaleles, ] and chochoca. | |||
| ====Europe==== | |||
| In ] potatoes form part of the traditional staple ]. Roast potatoes are commonly served with a ]. Mashed, potatoes also form a major component of several other traditional dishes such as ], ], ] and the 'mashit tatties' (]) which accompany ]. The ] is another popular Scottish dish containing potatoes. They are also often ] to accompany a meal. In the UK, new potatoes are typically cooked with ] and served with a little melted butter - ] are the most prized new potatoes, and have their own ]. | |||
| In ] ] is a traditional ] dish involving mashed potato combined with shredded cabbage and onion. ] pancakes are eaten all over 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 ], especially ], is made with cooked and mashed potatoes. | |||
| ] is the ]n national dish, made of a batter of flour and finely grated potatoes that is boiled to form dumplings. These are then mixed with regionally varying ingredients. | |||
| In ] and ], especially in ], ], ], ] and ], newly harvested, early ripening varieties are considered a special delicacy. Boiled whole and served with ], these "new potatoes" are traditionally consumed together with ]. | |||
| ] | |||
| In ], especially in ], sliced potatoes are fried to get ''frieten'', the original ]. ], a traditional ] meal, is based on mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables. | |||
| Potatoes are very popular in continental ] as well. In ], they serve to make a type of pasta called ]. Similarly, cooked and mashed potatoes or potato flour can be used in the ] or ] eaten with or added to meat dishes all over central and Eastern Europe, but especially in ] and ]. Potatoes form one of the main ingredients in many soups such as the pseudo-French ] and Albanian potato and cabbage soup. In western Norway, ] is popular. | |||
| A traditional ] dish is ] or ''Papas arrugadas''. '']'' (potato omelete) and ''Patatas bravas'' (a dish of fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce) are near-universal constituent of Spanish ]. | |||
| ====North America==== | |||
| In the United States, potatoes have become one of the most widely consumed crops and thus have a variety of preparation methods and condiments. ] and often ] are commonly found in typical American fast-food burger joints and cafeterias. One popular favorite involves a baked potato with cheddar cheese (or sour cream and chives) on top, and in ] "smashed potatoes" (a chunkier variation on mashed potatoes, retaining the peel) have great popularity. Potato flakes are popular as an instant variety of mashed potatoes, which reconstitute into mashed potatoes by adding water, plus butter & salt for taste. A regional dish of ], ] are bite-sized 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 ], the practice of eating ] (fried potato pancakes) is common each winter, when ] comes. | |||
| ] | |||
| A traditional ] dish from ] is known as ''poutine râpée''. The Acadian poutine is a ball of grated and ], salted, sometimes filled with ] in the center, and boiled. The result is a moist ball about the size of a ]. It is commonly eaten with salt and pepper or ]. It is believed to have originated from the ] | |||
| '']'', prepared by early German settlers who lived among the Acadians. | |||
| ], by contrast, is a hearty serving of french fries, fresh cheese curds and hot gravy. Tracing its origins to ] in the 1950s, it has become a widespread and popular dish in the francophone Canadian province. | |||
| ==In art== | |||
| ] culture. ]]] | |||
| The potato has been an essential crop in the ] since the ] Era. The ] culture from Northern ] made ceramics from 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.<ref>Berrin, Katherine & ]. The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera. New York:Thames and Hudson, 1997. </ref> | |||
| ]'s painting "]" represents a family eating potatoes. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ], traditional freeze-dried potato of ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ], archaic spelling | |||
| * ], distantly related to the potato | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==References== | |||
| * Larry Zuckerman (1999). ''Potato, The: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World''. Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 0-86547-578-4. | |||
| * Lang, James (2001). Notes of a Potato Watcher, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. | |||
| * 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). | |||
| * Hawkes, J.G. (1990). The Potato: Evolution, Biodiversity & Genetic Resources, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. | |||
| * 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. | |||
| == Notes == | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| === Other Sources === | |||
| *{{cite news |first=] |last= |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title='Humble' Potato Emerging as World's Next Food Source|url= |format= |work=column |publisher=] |id= |pages= |page=20 |date=] |accessdate= |language= |quote= |archiveurl= |archivedate= }} | |||
| * {{cite journal |last= Spooner |first= David |coauthors= et al. |year= 2005 |month= October |title= A single domestication for potato based on multilocus amplified fragment length polymorphism genotyping |journal= Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA |volume= 102 |issue= 41 |pages= 14694–14699 |doi= 10.1073/pnas.0507400102 |url= http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/102/41/14694 |pmid= 16203994 }} | |||
| * The World Potato Atlas at http://research.cip.cgiar.org/confluence/display/wpa/, released by the International Potato Center in 2006 and regularly updated. Includes current chapters of 15 countries: | |||
| **South America: (English and Spanish): Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru | |||
| **Africa: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya | |||
| **Eurasia: Armenia, Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan | |||
| **38 others as brief "archive" chapters | |||
| **Further information links at http://research.cip.cgiar.org/confluence/display/wpa/Potato+Info+Links. | |||
| * World Geography of the Potato at http://www.lanra.uga.edu/potato/, released in 1993. | |||
| * Reference for potato history: ''The Vegetable Ingredients Cookbook'' by Christine Ingram, Lorenz Books, 1996 ISBN 1-85967-264-7 | |||
| * ''The History and Social Influence of the Potato'' by Redcliffe N. Salaman ISBN 0-521-31623-5 | |||
| * Hamilton, Andy & Dave, (2004), retrieved on 4 May 2005 | |||
| * Cummings JH, Beatty ER, Kingman SM, Bingham SA, Englyst HN. Digestion and physiological properties of resistant starch in the human large bowel. Br J Nutr. 1996;75:733-747. | |||
| * Englyst HN, Kingman SM, Cummings JH. Classification and measurement of nutritionally important starch fractions. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1992;46:S33-S50. | |||
| * Fernandes G, Velangi A, Wolever TMS. Glycemic index of potatoes commonly consumed in North America. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:557-62. | |||
| *Gauldie, Enid (1981). The Scottish Miller 1700 - 1900. Pub. John Donald. ISBN 0-85976-067-7. | |||
| * Hylla S, Gostner A, Dusel G, Anger H, Bartram HP, Christl SU, Kasper H, Scheppach W. Effects of resistant starch on the colon in healthy volunteers: possible implications for cancer prevention. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998;67:136-42. | |||
| * Raban A, Tagliabue A, Christensen NJ, Madsen J, Host JJ, Astrup A. Resistant starch: the effect on postprandial glycemia, hormonal response, and satiety. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;60:544-551. | |||
| {{Wikibookspar|Gardening|Potato}} | |||
| {{Cookbook}} | |||
| {{Commons|Solanum tuberosum}} | |||
| {{Commons|Potato}} | |||
| {{Commonscat|Potato}} | |||
| == See also == | |||
| * ] | |||
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| == External links == | |||
| * | |||
| * - CIP (International Potato Center) | |||
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| * Biological safety research on gm-potatoes | |||
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| *{{eol|16835889|Solanum tuberosum}} | |||
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Revision as of 19:00, 11 December 2008
For other uses, see Potato (disambiguation).
| Potato | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Solanales |
| Family: | Solanaceae |
| Genus: | Solanum |
| Species: | S. tuberosum |
| Binomial name | |
| Solanum tuberosum L. | |
The potato was invented in 1920 by sir thomas moor as a means of demoralising the german army, the potato would be used in battle by frying it to make the foodstuff known as "Chips" (pron. CH-I-P-S for all you morons out there). The smell would waft over to the german trenches and their soldiers would scramble over the top to get at whatever was causing the heavenly odour where they would be mowed down.