Irish Potato
Key concepts Tuber versus root
versus bulb Potato domestication
and spread Potato use Seed pieces Hilling & mulching Harvesting Potato & GMOs
Tubers, roots, and bulbs Tubers
Swollen underground _______ modified to store nutrients
Different from bulbs and roots
Tubers have buds called _____ that can sprout new plants
Tuber formation is accelerated by ______ days
Tubers, Bulbs, and Roots
Roots ______ that enlarges
and grows straight _______ into the soil
Examples: beets, carrots, radish
Enlarged _____ roots that are branched and spread _______ underground
Example: sweet potato
Tubers, Bulbs, and Roots
Bulbs Consist of fleshy _______ leaves
called ______ attached to a very short ________ plate
Swollen base of the leaves are usually eaten
Difference from tuber and root Stem does not ______ in size, but
the base of the leaves swell Require high temperatures and
_________ days for bulb formation
Basal plate
Potato Origins
Tuber-bearing species occur throughout the _________ areas of North and South America There is no _______ ancestor of Irish Potato
Wild species are very diverse Around Lake Titicaca and Lake Poopo in
_____ and _______ cultivated potatoes are still extremely variable
Domestication
Remains of cultivated potatoes have been found in deposits south of Lima, Peru, dating back to ________ B.C.
Potato widely cultivated in Inca times (______ A.D.)
European adoption First reported by
Europeans exploring S. America in ________
First report of use in Europe was in _______
______ in Spain Introduced to Ireland
around 1590 Irish Potato ________ 1845-1848 1 million died,
1.5 million emigrated
What slowed the adoption of by Europeans? Original potatoes
were adapted to forming tubers in response to ______ days
Why is this a problem?
Leaves, fruits, and ______ skin of tubers are poisonous
Be Careful…
Fruit and leaves are poisonous Contain the alkaloid _________ Parts of tuber which turn _________
after exposure to light are also poisonous
Potato Use High-_______ potatoes
Good for baking, mashing, and deep frying
e.g. white russets Low- _______ or _______
potatoes Hold shape after
cooking for boiling, potato salads, or scalloped potatoes
e.g. red-skinned or fingerling
Soil requirements Potatoes do best
in soils that are: ___________ Fertile Well-___________ High in _______
matter Improves drainage
for uniform moisture Reduces
compaction
Seed pieces May be small whole
potatoes or potatoes cut into 1 ½ to 2 oz. pieces
If cut pieces: Make sure they have
at least one ________ Let sit out for 1-3 days
to form ______ over cut area
Hilling potatoes
Gradually build up a loose ______ of soil around the plants
Helps to cover the potato tubers Prevents tubers
from turning green with a buildup of ________ and ____________
Also kills weeds
Mulching potatoes
Can apply ________ mulch over potatoes rather than soil
Advantages Improves _______ and helps maintain even
moisture Keeps weeds down Keeps soil _________ lower Tubers have good shape Easy to harvest!
Harvesting potatoes
“New” potatoes Dig early in summer
when tubers are 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameters
Plants are still ________ Main crop
Crop harvested after plants ______ and ______
Tubers are stored Must be careful to
avoid damaging potatoes when digging
Or innovate…
Insect Problems ________ potato
beetle Control
Bt, synthetic insecticides, pick off
Genetic Solution? ________ Potatoes
Developed by Monsanto
Contain a gene to produce their own Bt
Also resistant to leaf roll _______
Shunned by growers after ________ stopped buying them to avoid controversy
Monsanto advertisement
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