World’s Staple Food: Potatoes
APART from yam, there are two other major food crops in Nigeria — potatoes. Irish potato ( solanum tuberosum) and sweet potatoes ( ipomoea batatas).
Types of potatoes and how to select the best variety:
Although the potato cultivated worldwide belongs to just one botanical species, solanum tuberosum, the tubers come in thousands of varieties.
The varieties have great differences in size, shape, colour, texture, cooking characteristics and taste.
You need to decide on the potato variety you want to plant.
There are different types to choose from. However, you have to consider some of these factors;
Factors to consider when choosing potato variety for cultivation:
You must consider the disease resistance of the variety
The time it takes to reach maturity. You should also consider the level of productivity or yield of the potato
Check what is the overall quality of the potato in produces.
Selecting the best potato variety for cultivation
As you already know, there are different varieties of seed potatoes available in Nigeria. Some are local and while others come from other countries
Some of the local varieties include:
- RC767- 2; RC7716- 3; RC7716- 4 and RC777- 3
Some varieties that come in through importation which are high yielding and highly resistant to diseases include: - Nicola; Bertita; Diamant; Kondor; Famosa; Br63- 18 and Marabel.
How To Grow Organic Potatoes
If you’re accustomed to purchasing your potatoes ( solanum tuberosum) from the grocer y store, chances are y ou’ve only tasted a few common varieties.
This starchy , round vegetable is a popular addition to meals in many countries, as it is easy to grow and can be prepared in a large variety of recipes. When you grow your own, you can also discover a whole world of flavours, colours, shapes, and sizes y ou may not be familiar with yet.
With hundreds of potato varieties readily available for home gardeners to choose from, growing organic potatoes can help spruce up the ingredients in your kitchen with little effort compared to many other home- grown foods.
It takes about three to four months for potato plants to reach maturity, depending on the specific variety. Some small potatoes can be harvested in just under two months.
Potatoes have long been a staple ingredient of diets around the world, as they contain important nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6.1
Like other plants in the nightshade ( Solanum) family, potatoes contain glycoalkaloids that can become toxic to humans and pets when the plant is no longer fresh. So, be sure to eat this vegetable while it’s ripe. The leaves, stems, and skin have the highest concentration, meaning a spoiled potato with green skin is likely unsafe to eat. 2 Common Name Potato, Irish potato Botanical Name Solanum tuberosum
Family Nightshade ( Solanum)
Annual, Vegetable
1.5- 3 ft. tall, 1.5- 3 ft. wide
Full sun
Loamy
Acidic ( 5.0 to 6.0)
Leaves, vines, green skin are toxic
Benefits Of Potato Cultivation
Potato cultivation is a good form of employment if done at the right scale.
It is great food for many homes around the world. Many families fry, boil, or roast potatoes for consumption.
Potatoes can serve as a major source of foreign exchange when exported to other countries.
There are amazing benefits of potatoes for skin, hair, and health. Potato juice is used to treat some ailment and remove warts. Potatoes are for shining your silverwares example cutlery. You can also use potatoes to clean windows and remove stains. It helps to relieve arthritis, infections, and boils. Potato is good for absorbing excess salt from a cooking pot. Art students use potato for creating uniform patterns for stamp designs. You can grow potatoes in almost any types of soil, except saline and alkaline soils. Naturally, loamy and sandy loam soils that are rich in organic matter, are the most suitable soils for growing potatoes. This is because the soils are loose and they offer the least resistance to enlargement of the tubers.