Wild potato species, originating in modern-day Peru, can be found throughout the Americas, from the United States to southern Chile. In East Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, rice is by far the predominant starch crop, with potatoes a secondary crop, especially in China and Japan. [47][48], In November 2014, the USDA approved a genetically modified potato developed by J.R. Simplot Company, which contains genetic modifications that prevent bruising and produce less acrylamide 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.[49][50][51]. During the crop year 2008, many of the certified organic potatoes produced in the United Kingdom and certified by the Soil Association as organic were sprayed with a copper pesticide[75] to control potato blight (Phytophthora infestans). However, poisoning from cultivated potato varieties is very rare. [82] The commercial storage and retrieval of potatoes involves several phases: first drying surface moisture; wound healing at 85% to 95% relative humidity and temperatures below 25 °C (77 °F); a staged cooling phase; a holding phase; and a reconditioning phase, during which the tubers are slowly warmed. [80], Potatoes are usually cured after harvest to improve skin-set. Eliminating all root-weeds is desirable in potato cultivation. Watch more videos for more knowledge Is The Potato A Vegetable? 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 with dried potato (papa seca). [117], "Spud" redirects here. [40] Recently, as of 2010, potatoes have also been bioengineered specifically for these pigmentation traits. [52][53] The most widely cultivated variety, Solanum tuberosum tuberosum, is indigenous to the Chiloé Archipelago, and has been cultivated by the local indigenous people since before the Spanish conquest. Boiled whole and served un-peeled with dill, these "new potatoes" are traditionally consumed with Baltic herring. Love (eds), University of Idaho Agricultural Communications, 363–81. 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 and temperature, soil nutrient availability and balance, and resistance to pest attacks. The word has an unknown origin and was originally (c. 1440) used as a term for a short knife or dagger, probably related to the Latin spad- a word root meaning "sword"; compare Spanish espada, English "spade", and spadroon. 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. [82], On the other hand, temperatures below 4 °C (39 °F) convert the starch in potatoes into sugar, which alters their taste and cooking qualities and leads to higher acrylamide levels in the cooked product, especially in deep-fried dishes. [33] Around 80 varieties are commercially available in the UK. Gauldie, Enid (1981). Storage Management, in: Potato Production Systems, J.C. Stark and S.L. Vegetables are classified into five subgroups based on their nutritional content, according to the USDA: dark-green vegetables, beans and peas, starchy vegetables, red and orange vegetables, and other vegetables. A dish called masala dosa from South India is very notable all over India. Mechanical ventilation is used at various points during the process to prevent condensation and the accumulation of carbon dioxide. [113], The potato has been an essential crop in the Andes since the pre-Columbian Era. Normal potato tubers that have been grown and stored properly produce glycoalkaloids 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. ), as well as the food plants eggplant and tomato. 2 are rated as lower in quality due to their appearance (e.g. A variant eaten and sold in Lancashire, especially Liverpool, is made with cooked and mashed potatoes. Genetically modified varieties have met public resistance in the United States and in the European Union. John Donald. This table shows the nutrient content of potatoes next to other major staple foods, each one measured in its respective raw state, even though staple foods are not commonly eaten raw and are usually sprouted or cooked before eating. One popular favourite involves a baked potato with cheddar cheese (or sour cream and chives) on top, and in New England "smashed potatoes" (a chunkier variation on mashed potatoes, retaining the peel) have great popularity. (The glycoalkaloid content was, in order from highest to lowest: flowers, sprouts, leaves, skin[clarification needed], roots, berries, peel [skin plus outer cortex of tuber flesh], stems, and tuber flesh).[11]. Tortilla de patatas (potato omelette) and patatas bravas (a dish of fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce) are near-universal constituent of Spanish tapas. Is Potato a Fruit or Vegetable? D raw potato with flesh and skin [65] While a normal potato tuber has 12–20 mg/kg of glycoalkaloid content, a green potato tuber contains 250–280 mg/kg and its skin has 1500–2200 mg/kg. Home / World View / Is a Potato a Vegetable or Grain? This is transported up an apron chain consisting of steel links several feet wide, which separates some of the dirt. [5][6][7] In the Andes region of South America, where the species is indigenous, some close relatives of the potato are cultivated. Wiki. Further inspection and separation occurs when the potatoes are unloaded from the field vehicles and put into storage. Potatoes are also a major ingredient as fast food items, such as aloo chaat, where they are deep fried and served with chutney. [30] Another relative native to this region, Solanum bulbocastanum, has been used to genetically engineer the potato to resist potato blight. Like all parts of the plant except the tubers, the fruit contain the toxic alkaloid solanine and are therefore unsuitable for consumption. [6] It has since spread around the world and become a staple crop in many countries. Gratin dauphinois, consisting of baked thinly sliced potatoes with cream or milk, and tartiflette, with Reblochon cheese, are also widespread. In the US, potatoes have become one of the most widely consumed crops and thus have a variety of preparation methods and condiments. 388 Integrated Control of Potato Late Blight in the Nordic and Baltic Countries. However, it is used in northern China where rice is not easily grown, with a popular dish being 青椒土豆丝 (qīng jiāo tǔ dòu sī), made with green pepper, vinegar and thin slices of potato. 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. [60], In the UK, potatoes are not considered by the National Health Service (NHS) as counting or contributing towards the recommended daily five portions of fruit and vegetables, the 5-A-Day program.[61]. [25] The international Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium announced in 2009 that they had achieved a draft sequence of the potato genome. Today they are a staple food in many parts of the world and an integral part of much of the world's food supply. The Scottish Miller 1700–1900. [30] Thousands of varieties still persist in the Andes however, where over 100 cultivars might be found in a single valley, and a dozen or more might be maintained by a single agricultural household. The potato cyst nematode is a microscopic worm that thrives on the roots, thus causing the potato plants to wilt. 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Breeding in the 20th and 21st Centuries", "Genetically Engineered Organisms Public Issues Education Project/Am I eating GE potatoes?