Potatoes
Potatoes

Author: Douglas Horton

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2019-06-25

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 1000307840

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Although the potato is usually thought of as a temperate-zone crop, potato growing in the tropics and subtropics is spreading rapidly. In terms of the dollar value of the crop, this edible root now ranks fourth in the developing world after rice, wheat, and maize. Nevertheless, policymakers often underrate the importance of the potato as a source of employment, income, and food or they underestimate the potential benefits from expanding potato production and use. The payoff from applied research on potato cultivation in the tropics and subtropics is high due to the large body of scientific information from developed countries. This book summarizes the principles of potato production, distribution, and use. The essential facts about the potato as a crop, a commodity, and a food are discussed as well as the issues that scientists and policymakers should consider in setting priorities for implementing and assessing the impact of potato research and extension programs. A major premise of the book is that programs aiming to increase food supplies and reduce poverty through crop improvement need to consider not only production technology but also marketing strategies and consumption patterns. Adequate planning for agricultural research and development requires an understanding of how crops are grown, marketed, and used and of what potential benefits the new technologies can yield. Hence, effective crop improvement programs need both technical and socioeconomic expertise. The administrators and others responsible for implementing these programs must concern themselves with the policies that impinge on the adoption and consequences of new production methods so that their countries may reap the full benefits of an increased and stable food supply.

Managing the Potato Production System
Managing the Potato Production System

Author: Bill Bryan Dean

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2018-05-02

Total Pages: 202

ISBN-13: 1351434039

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This important book on the culture of the potato presents scientific information for potato growers in an easily accessible format and clear language. Managing the Potato Production System contains all the information needed to harvest a bountiful crop. The book is written specifically for field production-oriented technicians and growers and makes the knowledge of production systems easy for readers to apply by providing essential background information, suggestions for incorporating the information into a total production system, and sample forms for collecting data to assist proper and timely decision making. Special sections on harvesting and storage emphasize techniques for protecting the quality of the crop while other chapters provide helpful information on reporting trends in marketing to aid future planning efforts. This easy-to-use guide directs producers to the most critical areas of production, storage, and marketing, helping them to control or influence factors that will result in a healthy, plentiful crop. This is a valuable reference to be consulted for solutions to specific problems or ways to take advantage of opportunities as they occur. Managing the Potato Production System is more than abstract theory; the systems described here have been proven in one or more actual cases of potato production. The strategies devised in this volume help potato producers grow an economically viable crop in a manner that can be sustained over generations with positive impact on the environment. The book concentrates on the interpretation of scientific findings about potatoes and production beginning with a discussion of the origin of the crop, its distribution, and history of its production in the United States. Other chapters feature explanations of the factors which affect potato production including the genetics of Solanum tuberosum in regard to variety (cultivar) improvement and the effect of potato breeding on production. Specific t