Potato Crop: Advances in Crop Science

Potatoes are starchy tubers of the plant Solanum tuberosum. It is a temperate crop which requires 300-500 mm of rainfall. Potatoes can grow upto 60 cm in height with its leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and tuber formation. Their pollination is done by insects such as bumblebees along with self-fertilisation. Fruits and flowers of potatoes contain solanine while the tuber contains glycoalkaloids. Green potatoes have high amount of glycoalkaloids, making them unfit for consumption. Potatoes have more than 4000 varieties which are often differentiated by their waxiness and quantity of starch. The two varieties of starch found in potatoes are amylose and amylopectin. Other than food, potatoes are used extensively to produce alcohols, as livestock fodder and as thickener and binder for sauces and soups. This book brings forth some of the most innovative concepts and elucidates the unexplored aspects of potato crop. From theories to research to practical applications, case studies related to all contemporary topics of relevance to this field have been included herein. This book is a vital tool for all researching or studying potato crop as it gives incredible insights into emerging trends and concepts.