HORT 281 :: Lecture 22 :: ORIGIN, AREA, PRODUCTION, VARIETIES, PACKAGE OF PRACTICES FOR POTATO
                  
				
Origin, area,  production, varieties, package of practices for POTATO
                    Family:  Solanaceae
                    Botanical  Name: Solanum tuberosum
                    Chromosome  Number: 2n= 48
                    Origin  and History
			    
The probable centre of origin of  potato is in South America in the central Andean region. Evidence indicates  that potatoes were cultivated for centuries by South American Indians and the  tubers were used as a common article of food. The Spaniards during invasion  found this economic plant worthy of introduction into Europe. The Spanish people  brought potato from Peru to Spain in 1565. Sir Francis drake probably brought  them to England about 1586. Following its introduction in to European  agriculture, potato became an important food crop of Italy, France, and  Ireland. During the famine years, the potato crop became valuable food crop in  Ireland. Potato was introduced to India from Europe in the beginning of the  seventeenth century, probably by the Portuguese, who were the first to open  trade routes to the east. The first mention of potato in India occurs in  ‘Terry’s account of a banquet at Ajmer given by Asaph Khan to Sir Thomas Rao in  1615. Potato was grown in many gardens of Surat and Karnataka in about 1675.  Cultivation of potato in northern hills started later than plains but became as  cash crop much earlier. Cultivation of potato was beginning first in the  Nilgiri hills in the 1822. The spread of potato is given in Figure1.
  Nutritive  value and uses
				  It is one of the important crop of  the world. In India, it is used only as a vegetable. Sometimes it is also mixed  with other vegetables. It is also used for making of chips, halwa, gulab jamun,  rasgulla, murabha, kheer, guzia and barfi etc. According to Aykroyd (1941), it  contains 74.7 per cent water, 22.9 per cent sugar, .6 per cent protein, 0.1 per  cent fat, 0.6 per cent mineral matters, 0.01 per cent calcium, 0.03 per cent  phosphorus and 0.0007 per cent iron, while according to Macgillivray (1953), it  contains 77.8 per cent water, and food value per 100g of edible portion is  energy 85 calories, protein 2 g, calcium 13 mg , vitamin A 40 IU, ascorbic acid  12 mg, thiamine 0.11 mg, riboflavin 0.06 mg and niacin 1.18 mg and according to  Chatfield (1949) raw potato also contain in 100 g, edible portion: Na 3 mg, K  410 mg, Ca 14 mg, Mg 27 mg, Fe 0.8 mg, Cu 0.16 mg, P 56mg, S 29 mg and Cl 35  mg. The potato tuber may contain an alkaloid (Solanine), if it is exposed to  light. It is poisonous compound but 70 per cent of it is removed when potatoes  are peeled. This alkaloid may cause sickness or death both to live stock and  the human beings. Nadkarni (1927) has reported the following medicinal uses of  potatoes:
				  It is anti-scorbutic. Persons with  neurotic and liver dyspepsia digest it well. It is also employed as an,  diuretic and galactagogue, nervous sedative and stimulant in gout. The leaves  in the form of extract are employed as an antispamodic in chronic cough  producing effects as those of optimum etc. potato grind into a paste is applied  as plaster to burns caused by fire with good results. The juice of the potato  is a dark colored liquid due to the presence of citric and succinic acids.  Potatoes may be mealy or non-mealy. Mealy potatoes are those in which the  cells, on cooking, separate from one another so that they may be piled up in  loose flour with air between them instead of remaining in a solid mass with  water in the small intercellular spaces. But this is absent in immature  potatoes due to low quantity of starch. Mealiness and high starch are  associated with high specific gravity. According to Covdon and Boussard (1897)  disruption of potatoes in cooking is partly due to turgidity of tissues, the  more turgid they are more easily do they fracture and permit the ready  penetration of boiling water.
  Area  and Production
				  In  India out of total 5335447 ha of land under vegetables, potato occupies nearly  20.79 per cent area. The area (1109000 ha) under potato, during the year  1995-96 followed percentage change of –2.30, -10.56, -5.91 and 3.70 over  1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95, respectively. Production of potato was  18843300 MT during the year 1995-96, having 26.32 per cent share in the total  vegetable production.  Production  increased by 3.56, 1.97, 8.34 and 8.29 per cent over 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94  and 1994-95 respectively. The productivity of potato was 16.99 MT/ha, whereas  the highest 24.4 MT/ha was of West Bengal in the country (NHB, 1998) potato is  grown in almost all the states of India. It is mainly grown in the states like  Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Karnataka, Assam and Madhya Pradesh. The  major potato producing belts in India are as given below (NHB, 1998).
- Himachal Pradesh: Shimla, Lahul Spiti and Mandi.
 - Punjab: Jalandhar, Hoshiyarpur, Ludhiana and Patiala.
 - Haryana: Ambala, Kurukshetra, Hisar and Karnal.
 - Uttar Pradesh: Farrukhabad, Etawah, Manpuri, barabanki, Allahabad, Badaun, Moradabad, Agra, Aligarh, Mathura and Faizabad.
 - Madhya Pradesh: Sidhi, Satana, Rewa, Sagar, Rajgarh and Tikamgarh.
 - Chhattigarh: Sarguja and Raipur.
 - Rajasthan
 - Gujarat: Khera, Dissa, Baransh katha, Jamnagar, Baroda, Mehsana.
 - Orisa: Cuttack, Dhenkamal, Puri and Sambalpur.
 - West Bengal
 - Maharashtra: Pune, Satana, Kolhapur and Nasik.
 - Karnataka: Belgaum and Dharwad , Hassan, Kolar.
 - Uttaranchal: Almora, Pilibhit and Haldwani.
 - Andhra Pradesh: Medak and Chittoor.
 - Tamil Nadu: Dhinigulanna and the Nilgiris
 - Assam
 
Apart  from India, the other major producers of potato in world are China, Russian  Federal, Poland, USA, Ukraine, Germany,Netherlands and UK (NHB, 1998)
                    Classification,  Botany and Floral Biology
                    Classification
				  The  potato was first domesticated in the high plateau region of the Peruvian and  Bolivian Andes and has been grown for several millennia. A total of seven  cultivated species were domesticated and they remain the most important crop in  the high Andean, regions, where the greatest genetic diversity of cultivated  potato is concentrated (Engel, 1970). The cultivated potatoes species are as  given below:
  Table1.  Classification and origin of the cultivated potatoes
Species  | 
                    Distribution  | 
                    Origin  | 
                  
Solanum tuberosum sub sp. tuberosum (2n = 48) (2n =n48)  | 
                    Cosmopolitan  | 
                    By artificial selection in Europe, North America and Chile from introduced clones of group 2.  | 
                  
S. tuberosum sub sp. andigena (2n = 48)  | 
                    Venezuela to northern Argentina; also sporadically in central America and Mexico  | 
                    From group 4 and 5 by spontaneous doubling of the chromosome number.  | 
                  
S.chaucha (2n = 36) S. phuerja (2n = 24)  | 
                    Central Peru to northern Bolivia Venezuela to northern Bolivia  | 
                    By hybridization between group 2 and 4 and 5. by selection for short tuber dormancy from group 5.  | 
                  
S.stentomum (2n=24)  | 
                    Southern Peru to northern Bolivia  | 
                    By natural hybridization between wild species followed by artificial selection.  | 
                  
S.juzepcsukii (2n=36)  | 
                    Central peru to southern Bolivia  | 
                    From crosses of S.acaule with groups of 4 and 5  | 
                  
S.curtilobum  | 
                    Central peru to southern Bolivia  | 
                    Crosses of S. juzepczukii with group 2.  | 
                  
The  commercial potato generally belong to two species
                  Solanum andigenum: it is not very common. Plants have thin and long stem,  small and narrow leaflets. Flowers are produced more profusely. It has long  stolons and mostly coloured deep- eyed tubers.
                  Solanum tuberosum: It is more common, plants have shorter and thicker stem  larger and wider leaflets.
In  addition to two species, there are also some important species, which shows  resistant to biotic and abiotic. Theses species are given in Table 2.
Table  2. Potato species resistant to biotic and abiotic
Species  | 
                    Utility  | 
                  
Solanum demissum lind (2n = 72)  | 
                    Resistance to late blight, virus A, virus Y  | 
                  
S. stoloniferum (2n = 48)  | 
                    Resistance to virus x, frost, Colorado beetle.  | 
                  
S.vernei Bitt et,. Wittm (2n = 24)  | 
                    Resistant to two species of Heterodera nematode.  | 
                  
S. multidissectum Waek (2n=24)  | 
                    Resistant to two species of Heterodera nematode.  | 
                  
S.antipovczii Bulk  | 
                    Resistance to late blight  | 
                  
S.curtilobum jug. Et. Buk  | 
                    Resistant to frost  | 
                  
S. phureja jug. Et. Buk  | 
                    Non dormant type used inbreeding  | 
                  
S. chacoense bitter  | 
                     Non dormant type used in breeding  | 
                  
S . anomalocalyx, S. jamessi Torr; S. Saltense  | 
                    Resistance to early blight.  | 
                  
Potato  can also be divided on the basis of origin and response to day length as given  in Table 3.
                    Table3.  Classification on the Basis of origin and Response of Day Length: 
Distant characters  | 
                    S.tuberosum  | 
                    S.andigenum  | 
                  
Origin  | 
                    Andean region  | 
                    Chile region  | 
                  
Day length response  | 
                    Long day plants  | 
                    Short day plants  | 
                  
Polyploidy  | 
                    Many types of polyploids  | 
                    Tetraploids  | 
                  
Distinct varieties  | 
                    ‘Up-to-date’ Magnum’ Bonum’ etc  | 
                    All the desi varieties like ‘Darjeeling’, ‘Red Round’, ‘Phulwa’ and ‘Gola’  | 
                  
Potato  can be classified into early and late varieties. They are given below in Table  4.
                    Table  4. Classification of potato on the Basis of Crop Duration
Character  | 
                    Early potato  | 
                    Late potato  | 
                  
Stolon length  | 
                    Short  | 
                    Long  | 
                  
Stem  | 
                    Hollow  | 
                    Solid  | 
                  
Petioles  | 
                    Broader  | 
                    Narrow  | 
                  
Stolon number  | 
                    Less number  | 
                    More number  | 
                  
Tuber colour  | 
                    White  | 
                    Coloured  | 
                  
Photoperiodism  | 
                    Long day for tuber development  | 
                    Short day for tuber development  | 
                  
Varieties  | 
                    ‘Satha’, ‘Gola’, Great Scot’, Kufri Chandramukhi’  | 
                    ‘Phulwa’, ‘Kufri Kissan’, ‘Kufri Safed’  | 
                  
Varieties/Hybrids
                    KUFRI  ALANKAR
				  It is a  derivatives of the cross (Kennebee x O.N .2090) x (Majestic x Ekishiraju),  released in 1968 by Central Variety Release Committee for plains of Punjab,  Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh and specially suited for sandy soils. Plants  are very tall, open and erect with thick and strong stem and RI) 2 colour  uniformly distributed. Leaflets are rough and present in leaflets midrib of 2.3  top leaves but not in the stem base. Tubers are oblong, tapering towards and,  flesh dull white eyes and medium deep to fleet. It shows slow rate of  degeneration. Tubers develop crack if allowed to remain till full maturity. It  is rapid bulking variety keeping quality not good.  It matures 75 days in plains and 140 days in  hills. The yield potential is 300 q/ha in plains and 100 a/ha in hills. This  variety is having moderate field resistance to late blight with immunity to  race 1 and '0' susceptible to common scab.
  KUFRI  ANAND
  
A derivative of PJ376 x PH/F 1430, released from CPRI,  Shimla in 1999. plants are tall erect, vigorous, stems few, thick and pigmented  at the base. Foliage is grey-green, leaves intermediate and rachis green.  Leaflets are ovate lanceolate, smooth, glossy surface with entire margin and  occasionally terminal leaflets fused. Flowers are light purple in colour with  moderate flowering. Anthers are orange yellow, well-developed and low pollen  stain ability. Stigma is round and notched. Tubers are white, large oval long,  flattened, smooth skin, fleet eyes, white flesh having red purple sprouts. It  is a medium maturing variety (100-110 days) having a yield potential of 350-400  q/ha. This variety is adaptable to plains of Uttar Pradesh and neighboring  states. This variety is resistant blight. The tubers are ideal in shape for  French fries.
  KUFRI  ASHOKA 
				  It is a  wider adaptable variety released from CPIU, Shimla in 1996. It is a derivative  of (EM/C-l 020 x Allerfi'uii lleste Gelbe). Plants are medium tall, erect,  medium compact and vigorous. Stems are few, medium thick, lightly pigmented at  base with poorly developed straight wings. Foliage is green. Leaves are  intermediate having green rachis. Leaflets are ovate lanceolate, smooth glassy  surface with entire margin, Flowers are light red purple. This variety has  profuse flowering. Anthers are orange-yellow, well- developed and medium pollen  stain ability. Stigma is round shaped. Tubers are white, large, oval long,  smooth skin and fleet eyes with white flesh having purple sprouts. It is an  early maturing (70-80 days) having yield potential of 400 q/ha, suited in  Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal for cultivation. It is  susceptible to late blight and not suitable for processing.
  KUFRI  BADSHAH
  
It is a cross of Kufri Jyoti and Kutri Alankar and  released in 1980 by Central Sub Committee on release in varieties for Indo -  gangetic plains of North India, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh,  Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Plateau region. Plants are tall, haulms  erect, 4-5 stems per plant with a tendency for branching, semi-solid, flexible,  slightly pubescent, red purple, well developed straight wings and short (about  7-8 cm) internodes. Leaves are green, medium long, prominent venation, rachis  pigmented at base, disposition almost at right angles with the stem. Leaflets  are broad, medium in size, slightly hairy, entire margin, ovate, glassy veins  prominent, and petiole green, usually four pairs and one terminal leaflet.  Tubers are mostly large to medium, oval,   shining white, smooth, regular with shallow eyes, flesh dull white, sprouts  stout, thick, 1 bulbous white with light red pigmentation at the base. Stolen  are thick, short and white. Flowers are scanty, white, and medium in size,  fully stretching wings, pollen fertility 50-60 per cent and frequently set  berries in the hills. This variety possesses medium dormancy. This variety has  average keeping quality. It shows slow rate of degeneration. Tubers are tasty  with good flavour. It contains 13.6 g/100 g starch and 18.6 per cent dry matter  content. It matures in plains 90-100 days. It is tolerant to frost, resistant  to late blight, early blight and potato virus ‘X’ but susceptible to soft. 
  KUFRI  BAHAR
  
It is a derivative of the cross Kufri Red x Ginek and  released by :! Central Sub-Committee on Release of Varieties in 1980 for the  plains of Haryana, Punjab and Western Uttar Pradesh. Plants are tall erect,  medium compact and vigorous. Stem is thick, 4-5 stems per plant, succulent,  semi-solid with moderately developed wings. Leaves are open, straight with 4-5  pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are grey green, medium, dull with entire margins.  Foliage is of grey green colour. Tubers are large, white, round to oval, skin  smooth with medium deep eyes, flesh white. Sprouts are bulbous and red. Stolens  are medium long. This variety has moderate flowering, having white flowers,  medium in size and sterile. Keeping quality is average with medium dormancy. It  is mid maturity variety (90-100 days). Yield is 250-300 q/ha. Resistant to late  blight, early blight and potato virus ‘X’, ‘Y’ and leaf roll. It is susceptible  to insect pests, drought and frost.
  KUFRI  CHAMATKAR
				  A  derivative of the cross Ekishiraju x Phulwa and released in 1967 by  Central Variety Released Committee for the plains 01 Uttar Pradesh, Madhya  Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, where one crop of long duration is raised. Plants are  medium, spreading, short stolen, compact, dark green foliage, foliage  prominent, very small internodes, more stems and small leaflets. Flowers are of  white colour. Tubers are round and white, eyes medium deep, flesh ye1low and  red sprouts. Degeneration is slow and quick tuberization. It is late maturing  variety, which matures 110-120 days in plains and 150 days in hills. The yield  potential of this variety is 250 q/ha in plains and 75.00 q/ha in hills. It is  resistant to early blight but susceptible to viruses, late blight, brown rot,  charcoal rot, wilts and common scab.
  KUFRI  CHANDRAMUKHI
It is a derivative of the cross S.4485 X Kufri Kuber and  released in 1967 in Central Variety Release Committee for the plains of Punjab,  Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal and  Maharashtra. It also grows well in Himachal Pradesh hills and Jammu regions.  Plants are medium tall with open foliage habit and free from secondary growth.  Foliage is grass green and glossy. The small leaflets are not fully expanded  especially on top, notched tip on one side of leaflets. Tubers are oval, white,  flesh dull white, eye fleet, and sprouts light red and pubescent. The variety  has slow rate of degeneration and early bulking. It possesses good keeping  quality. It is mid season variety, matures 80-90 days in plains and 120 days in  hills. An average yield is 200 q/ha in plains and 75 q/ha in hills. It is  susceptible to common scab, late blight, brown rot, nematodes, charcoal rot and  wilts.
                  KUFRI  CHIPSONA-l 
                  
It is a cross of MEX.750826 x MS/78- 79 and released from  CPRI, Shimla in 1998. Plants are medium tall, semi erect, compact and vigorous.  Stems are few, thick, slightly pigmented with poorly developed straight wings.  Foliage is green, leaves, open and rachis green. Leaflet is ovate, smooth, dull  surface with entire margin. Flowers are white and profuse flowering. Anthers  are orange-yellow, well developed, and stigma round pinhead. Tubers are white  medium to large oval, smooth skin, fleet eyes, and dull white flesh having  green sprouts. It is medium maturing variety (90-110 days) having 400q/ha. It  is suitable for cultivation in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It is resistant to late  blight. The variety is highly suitable for making chips and French fries.
                  KUFRI  CHIPSONA-2 
                  
It is a derivative of F-6 x QB/B-92-4 and released from  CPRI, Shimla in 1998. Plants are medium tall, erect open and vigorous. Stem is  few, medium thick slightly pigmented with straight wings. Foliage is dark green,  leaves open, rachis green, leaflet ovate lanceolate, wrinkled dull surface with  slightly wavy margin. Flowers are white and moderate in flowering. Anthers are  yellow, well-developed and moderate pollen stability. Stigma is round notched.  Tubers are white, medium, round oval, smooth skin, fleet eyes, and yellow flesh  having reddish brown sprouts. It is medium maturing variety yielded 350 q/ha.  This variety is resistant to late blight and tolerant to frost. Due to high dry  matter content, low reducing sugars and low phenols, the variety is highly  suitable for making chips and French Fries.
                  KUFRI  DEWA 
It is a  derivative of the cross Craig’s Defiance x Phulwa and released by Central  Sub-Committee on Release of Varieties in-1973 for Tarai area of Uttranchal and  Shimla agro climatic conditions. It is also suitable for Bihar and Orissa.  Plants are very tall open, erect and very small internodes. Leaves are  semi-compact, dark green and upright. Petioles are very long having 3-6 cm  towards base and devoid of leaves. Tubers are erratic round with purple  splashes, eye deep and pigmented and sprout light red with white flesh. Tubers  develop brown spots after harvest. It is highly susceptible to late blight,  possesses good resistance to frost and drought. It matures in 120 days in  plains and 165 days in hills. An average yield is 250 q/ha.
KUFRI  GIRIRAJ 
It is north and south India adaptable variety. It is a  cross of SLB/1-132 x EX/A 680-16 and released from CPRI, Shimla in 1998. Plants  are medium tall, semi-erect, medium compact and vigorous. Stems are many,  medium thick, coloured at base with moderately developed straight wings.  Foliage is green, leaves open and rachis green. Leaflets are ovate, smooth dull  surface with entire margin. Flowers are light purple and shy flowering. Anthers  are yellow, well-developed and low pollen stability. Stigma is round. Tubers  are white, medium to large, oval smooth skin, fleet eyes, and white flesh and  sprout light purple. The yield potential of this variety is 250 q/ha. This  variety is resistant to late blight (both foliage and tubers). It is not  suitable for processing.
KUFRI  HIMALINI
            It  is a derivative of cross SLB/H-140 x SLB/Z-389 (b) Recommended by 9th workshop  of the All India Coordinated Potato Improvement Project for Hilly regions  (hills of Northern India and Nilgiris in South) in the country. Plants are  tall, vigorous, erect, semi-close, spreading tendency at the time of maturity.  It possesses 4- 5 stems, stem solid, slightly hairy, colour red purple,  spreading uniformly throughout the stem, wings moderately developed and  straight. Leaves are semi-close, medium to long, placement medium and rachis of  green colour. Leaflets are grey green, flat, margin entire, petiole and mid rib  green, medium in size and green and foliage grey green. Tubers are medium to  large, oval, slightly flattened, skin white, eyes shallow to medium deep, flesh  dull white and mealy texture. Sprouts are red purple and medium thick. Flowers  are profuse, persistent white, light pinkish colour on the tips of corolla  wings, pollens fertile and natural berries are formed. Tubers possess medium  dormancy (2-2Y2 months). Keeping quality is good and does not show shrinkage on  five months storage in hills. It is highly resistant to late blight but  susceptible to early blight, phoma leaf spot, brown rot, and common scab and  moderately susceptible to powdery scab and leaf blotch. Planting is done in  March-April as summer crop in Nilgiris in northern hills, August- September for  autumn crop in the southern hills. It matures 30-140 days after planting.
KUFRI  JAWAHAR 
It is a  derivative of Kufri Neelamani x Kufri jyoti and released from Central Potato  Research Institute, Shimla in 1996. Plants are short, erect, compact and  vigorous; stem few, thick, lightly pigmented at base with well-developed  straight wings. Foliage is light green, leaves open, rachis green, terminal  leaflet cordate, smooth dull surface with entire margin. Flowers are white  moderately flowering. Anthers are orange yellow, well-developed and low pollen  stability. Stigma is round and slightly notched. Tubers are creamy white,  medium sized, round-oval smooth skin, eyes fleet, and pale yellow fleshes  having purple sprouts. It is an early maturing variety (80-90 days) yielded 400  q/ha. This variety is resistant to late blight. It is not suitable for  processing. It is widely adaptable in Haryana and Punjab, plateau region of  Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. It is suitable for intensive cropping.
KUFRI  JEEVAN
It is a  derivative of the cross M-I09-3 x D 698 and adopted for northwest hills of  Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Tubers are medium, white skin, oval shaped,  eyes fleet, faint red picked, flesh waxy and pale yellow. It matures 150-160  days in hills and 120 days in plains. It is resistant to wart, highly resistant  to late blight and in moderately resistant to early blight. 
KUFRI  JYOTI 
It is a derivative of the cross 3069d(4) x 2814 Q (1) and  released in 1968 by the Central Variety Release Committee for Himachal Pradesh  and Kumaon Hills of Uttranchal and also plains where late blight is a limiting  factor. Plants are tall, compact and erect. Terminal leaflet is a cottony or  cordate and leaflet of top 2-3 leaves incurred at the base. Leaflets are broad  and light green. Tubers are oval, white, eye fleet. Flesh is light white and  waxy. Sprouts are blue purple and medium thick. It has good keeping quality if  given proper post harvest treatment. It is field resistant to late blight with  immunity to race. It is resistant to early blight and wart disease. It matures  100 days in plains and 120 days in hills. The yield potential is 200 and 150  q/ha in plains and hills, respectively.
KUFRI  KHASHIGARO 
It is  popular variety of hilly region and a derivative of the cross Taborky x SD 698  D.lt is adapted to hilly regions of Assam. Tubers are medium, attractive white,  round with deep eyes and waxy, pale yellow flesh and rapid bulking. It  possesses short dormancy. It gave 160 q/ha tubers in 120 days crop duration. 
KUFRI  LALIMA
It is a fast bulking variety and a derivative of the  cross Kufri Red x CP 1362, which released in 1982 by Central Sub-Committee on  Release of Varieties for the plains of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal,  Orissa and Karnataka States. Plants are tall, vigorous, erect, compact and dark  green. Stems are 4-5, stem red pigmented and prominent at internodes. Leaves  are open, wide; rachis has red, pigmentation running on the central side.  Leaflets are smooth, glossy and ovate. Foliage is dark-green. Tuber is  uniformly red, medium to large, round, regular, smooth with fleet to medium  deep eyes. Flesh is white colour with mealy texture. Sprouts are medium thick  with red colour. Mowers are numerous, persistent and blue purple coloured.  Pollens are fertile, natural berry forms freely. It is susceptible to late blight  wart, powdery, scab, leaf blotch, phoma leaf spot, brown rot, charcoal rot and  common scab. It is susceptible to Virus 'Y'. It possesses slow rate of  degeneration and medium dormancy (about 2Yz months).
KUFRI  LAUVKAR 
It is a derivative of cross Serkoy x Adina released in  1973 by Central sub-committee on Release of Varieties for Decan Peninsula  (Maharashtra). Plants are tall, erect and thick stems, large ovate lanceolate  and incurring leaflets. Foliage is dark grey green and glossy, foliage many, large  and mostly borne on rachis. Tuber is round, white, and flesh white, sprouts  beet root red colour, cooking and peeling easy. Cooked flesh is white and good  in taste. It has slow rate of degeneration. It is susceptible to late blight,  leaf blotch; potato virus' Y' and leaf roll.111is variety escapes att.lck to  tuber moth. It is susceptible to early blight. It is an early variety, which  yielded 250 q/ha tubers in 75-95 days crop duration. 
KUFRI  MUTHU
It is a  derivative of the cross 3046(1) x M-l09-C and released in 1971 by Central Sub  Committee on release of Varieties for Nilgiri Hills for summer and autumn  seasons. Plants are tall and vigorous: Leaves are dark green and short stolens.  Tubers are large, white, roundish, oval, smooth eyes medium deep and flesh  white. Sprouts are of blue purple colour. The yield potential of this variety  is 135 q/hain100 days of crop duration. It is resistant to late blight but  susceptible to early blight.
KUFRI  NAVEEN
It is a  derivative of the cross 0-692 x, 3070d (4) and adapted to northeast hills of  Assam and high altitude of Himachal Pradesh. Tubers are medium, white and oval  with fleet eyes. Flesh IS waxy and pale yellow. It IS susceptible to early  blight and to resistant to wart. It possesses high degree of field resistant/immunity  to race 0, 1 and 4 of late blight.
KUFRI  PUKHRAJ
It is a wider adaptable variety and a cross of Craig's  Defiance x JEX/B-687, which released in 1998 from CPRI, Shimla. Plants are  tall, semi-erect, medium compact and vigorous. Stems are few, medium thick,  green with moderately developed straight wings. Foliage is dark grey green.  Leaves are closed with large sized foliage, rachis green. Leaflets are ovate to  lanceolate, smooth glossy surface with entire margin. Flowers are white and  moderate in flowering, anthers orange yellow, well-developed, high pollen  stability and round stigma. Tubers are white, large, oval, slightly tapered,  smooth skin, fleet eyes, and yellow flesh having blue purple sprouts. It is an  early maturing variety (70- 90 days). The yield potential is 400 q/ha. It is  resistant to early blight and moderately resistant to late blight. This variety  is suitable in Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya  Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. It is not  suitable for processing.
KUFRI  SHEETMAN
It is a  derivative of the cross Craig Defiance x Phulwa,  released in 1968 by Central Variety Release  Committee for plains, especially frost affected areas of Punjab, Rajasthan,  Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh. Plants are tall open erect and vigorous,  stem thick, firm and erect. Leaflets are rough dull green with waxy margins.  Tubers are oval and white with fleet eyes. It is resistant to frost and  drought. It is susceptible to late blight and leaf roll.
                  KUFRI  SHERPA
It is a  derivative of the cross Ultimus x Adina and recommended for cultivation in the  hills to West Bengal State by 9th Workshop of All India Coordinated Potato  Improvement Project. Plants are tall, vigorous, erect, and semi-compact with spreading  pasture under wet conditions. Stems are few, highly branched, semi-solid and  slightly hairy. Leaflets are rough, hairy, oval, prominent venation, yellow  green, petioles short; light green and medium in size. Foliage are small in  size and usually 4- 7 pairs. Foliage is light green. Tubers are medium in size,  round flattened, skin smooth, medium thick, white, eyes medium deep and flesh  of pale yellow colour. Sprouts are conical, blue purple and medium thick,  white, eyes medium deep and flesh of pale yellow colour. Flowers are scanty,  persistent, and pink in colour, regular in shape with pollen fertility of 50-60  per cent. Tuber dormancy, is medium (2-2 ½ ) months with good keeping quality.  It matures 135 and 100 days in hill and plains, respectively and yield is  225-250q/ha. It is susceptible to frost, brown rot and leaf roll and resistant  to late blight (both in foliage and tubers) and phoma leaf spot but moderately  resistant to early blight and highly immune to wart.
KUFRI  SINDHURI
It is derivative of the cross Kufri Kundan x Kufri Red  and released by Central Variety Release Committee in 1966 for plains of Punjab,  Jammu, Orissa, Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.  Plants are tall, erect, stems thick having pigment in most part of stem. Leaf  rachis is pigmented and leaves open and stiff. Leaflets are dull, basal lobe  unequal, petiole slightly pigmented but not midrib. Tubers are round, light  red, with medium deep eyes. Flesh is dull white. Tubers are moderate in number,  skin firm, not prone to brushing, bigger tubers having tendency to develop  hollow heart. Keeping quality is good. It is late variety and matures in 120  days in plains and 165 days in hills. In plains, it yields 300 q/ha. It is  slightly resistance to frost. It is Tuber Crops susceptible to late blight,  common scab charcoal rot and wilts, moderately resistant to early blight and  possesses field resistance to viral disease.
KUFRI  SUTLEJ
It is a  derivative of Kufri Bahar x Kufri Alankar and released in 1996 from CPRI,  Shimla. Plants are medium compact and vigorous. Stem are few, thick, lightly  pigmented at base with moderately developed wavy wings. Foliage is grey green.  Leaves are ovate-lanceolate and rachis slightly pigmented. Leaflet is ovate,  smooth dull sur1ace with entire margin. Flowers are white moderates in  flowering. Anthers are orange yellow, well-developed and high pollen stability.  Stigma is round and slightly notched. Tubers are white, large, oval, smooth  skin, fleet eyes, and white flesh and sprouts light red. It is medium maturing  (90-100 days) variety yielded 400 q/ha. This variety is moderately resistant to  late blight. It is recommended for cultivation in Bihar, Haryana, Madhya  Pradesh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. This variety has good consumer quality  because of easy to cook, waxy texture, and mild flavour and free 1rom  discolouration after cooking. It possesses medium dry matter. It is not  suitable for processing.
KUFRI  SWARNA 
It is a  cross of Kufri Jyoti x (VIn) 2 (62.33.3) and released in tile year of 1985 from  CPRI, Shimla. Plants are tall, erect, compact and vigorous. Stem is few thick  with prominent wings. Foliage is dark green, leaves open, rachis green leaflets  ovate, moderately pubescent, entire margin and many follicles. Flowers are  white, profuse flowering, anthers orange yellow, well-developed, low pollen  stability and stigma round. Tubers are white, medium, round oval, smooth skin,  fleet eyes, and white flesh having blue purple sprouts. This variety is widely  adaptable for south India hills. It matures 130-135 days in summer, while  100-110 days in autumn. This variety is highly resistant to both the species of  cyst (Globodera rostochinensis and G. pallida) and resistant to  early and late blight. This variety is not suitable for processing.
Climatic  Requirements 
Potato is  basically cool season crop. It grows well from sea level to snow line, where  sufficient moisture and fertile soil are available. It is grown in winter in  plains of India. However, in northern hills, it is grown as summer season crop.  Potato is a long day plant but cultivated as~ day plant. It requires favourable  environmental conditions such as low temperature and short day conditions at  the time of tuberization for rapid bulking rate. About 20°C temperature is good  for tuber formation and it reduces as the temperature increases. Tuberization  is badly affected at about 300C temperature. At higher temperature,  the respiration rate increases and the carbohydrates produced by photosynthesis  are consumed rather than stored in tuber. High temperatures at any part of  growing period affect the size of leaflets, thereby reducing the tuber  formation. It grows best under long day conditions sunshine along with cooler  nights are essential for reducing the spread of diseases. 
Soil  Conditions 
Potato can  be produced on a wide range of soils, ranging from sandy loam, silt loam, loam  and clay soil. Soil for potato should be friable, well aerated, fairly deep and  well supplied with organic matter. Well- drained sandy loam and medium loam  soils are most suitable for potato cultivation. Soil structure and texture has  a marked effect on the quality of the tuber. Light soil is preferred, because  they tend to promote more uniform soil temperatures and make harvesting of the  crop easier. Alkaline or saline soil is not suitable for potato cultivation.  They are well suited to acidic soils (pH 5.0 to 6.5) as acidic conditions tend  to limit scab diseases.
Planting  Time
In  Plains
Early Crop: Third week of September to first week  of October.
Main crop: First week of October to third week  of October.
Late  Crop: Third week of  October to first week of November
II. In Hills: Potato is planted in  hills from the third week of February to second week of April. In the southern  hills near Ootacamund  in Nilgiris, planting  is done three times in a year, i.e. in the month of February, April and  September In the plateau regions of Maharashtra, Bihar Madhya Pradesh, potato  is raised in rainy and winter seasons.. In the Mysore plateau, the summer and  winter crop is planted in April-June and in October-December, respectively. 
Seed  Rate, Methods of Sowing and Spacing
The seed  requirements for a hectare on the basis of seed size are given below: 
Large size-  25-30 q/ha; Medium size- 15-20 q/ha; Small size- 10-15 q/ha; Out tubers- 8-12  q/h2:-' Potato is planted mainly by two methods:
1. Ridge and Furrow Method: In this method, the ridges are  prepared. The length of the ridges depends on slope of the plot. Too long  ridges and furrows arc not supplied with irrigation water conveniently. The  potato tubers are planted on is let into furrows.
2. Flat Bed Method: In this method, the whole plot is  divided into beds of convenient length and width. The shallow furrows are  opened and potato tubers are planted at recommended distance. The tubers are  covered with the original soil of furrows. When the germination is completed  and plants become 10 to 12 cm height, earthing should be done. Suitable plant  spacing in relation to potato seed grades are given below:
Diameter of tuber from longer axis  | 
                    Planting distance (row x seed)  | 
                  
2.5-3.5 cm  | 
                    50 x 20 cm or 60 x 15 cm  | 
                  
3.5-5.0 cm  | 
                    60 x 25 cm  | 
                  
5.0-6.0 cm  | 
                    60 x 40 cm  | 
                  
Nutritional  Requirements and Their Management
				  Soils poor  in organic matter content should be supplied with 250 - 500 q/ha of farmyard  manure or compost during land preparation, preferably a fortnight before  planting. Potato plant is a heavy feeder. When it is grown in medium type of  soils, it needs 100 to 150 kg nitrogen, 80 to 100 kg phosphorous and 80 to 100  kg potassium per hectare. Two - third to three fourth quantity of nitrogen  along with whole quantity of phosphorus and potassium is applied at the time of  planting. Remaining one fourth to one third nitrogen is applied 30 to 35 days  after planting i.e. at the time of first earthing up or when plants become 25  to 30 cm in height either in the form of top dressing or as a foliar feeding.  Spraying of essential micronutrients such as boron, zinc, copper, iron,  manganese, molybdenum etc. is done when crop is showing deficiency symptoms.
  Intercultural  Operations 
				  In potato  crop, both types of weeds are found i.e. broad-leaved weeds as well as narrow  leaved weeds-The use of weedicides in potato crop in general is not essential  because earthing up operation destroy almost all weeds, if some how, weed  plants are growing on ridges, they may be pulled out by hands. Pre- emergence  application of nitrogen @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha or alachlor @.2.0 kg a.i./ha or post  emergence application of propanil @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha may be used ill solution  fom1 (800-1000 litre/ha). Care should be taken while spraying of post-  emergence herbicides that they should not come in the contact to potato plants.  Proper development of tubers depends upon aeration, moisture availability and  proper soil temperature. Therefore, proper earthing up is necessary. Earthing  should be done when the plants are 15 to 22 cm ill height. Generally earthing  is done at the time of top dressing of nitrogenous fertilizers. The ridges  should be high enough to cover up tubers. If necessary, a second earthing may  be done after two -week of the first one. A mould board plough or a ridger may  be used for earthing up in large area.
  Use of  Plant Growth Regulators
				  Soaking of  potato seed tuber in CCC at 500 mg/l (Schedule and Pandita, 1986), sodium  ascorbate at  100 mg/l (Murthy et al..  1975) cytozyme at 5 per cent (Pandita and Hooda, 1979), Singh and Kaur, 1981)  or foliar sprays with ethephon at 400 mg/l (Murthy and Banerjee, 1978, Pandita  and Hooda, 1979 a, Sekhon and Singh, 1985), CCC at 25 mg/l or garlic acid at  10-100 mg/l(Kumar and Agarwal, 1978) increased tuber yield. Sidda Reddy (1988)  also obtained higher tuber yield with foliar sprays of mixtallol at 1 or 2  mg/l.
  Water  Management
				  Before  coming to the planting operation. It should be kept in mind that the sufficient  soil moisture is available for satisfactory sprouting. If not then light  pre-irrigation or just after planting may be given. The rate of water use is  low till 30-35 days after planting; it means that the first irrigation is  essentially done within 30-35 days after planting. However, when soil moisture  seems insufficient for sprouting, intervals of first irrigation should be  reduced. Further, irrigation is done as and when crop needs. As regards method  of irrigation in potato, the furrow method is commonly followed.
  Harvesting,  Yield and Storage
				  Harvested  potatoes are heaped under shade for a couple of days, so that their skin  becomes hard and soil adhering with them is also separated out. Under good crop  management, 350-450 quintals of marketable potatoes of good quality can be  produced from one hectare land. The sorting operation is the most important, in  that all cut tubers, bruised, injured by insects-pest and disease are removed.  Sorted healthy tubers are graded in to different grades based on diameter of  the tubers reduce the prices in the market. Therefore, such tubers should be  sorted and marked separately. Over sized tubers are great in demand for chips  making. Very small sized tubers are also not remaining unsold. These tubers are  purchased by poor people for making vegetable by partially Cushing them before  cooking. However, both the over sized and under sized are quite unsuitable for  seed purposes. Potatoes can be stored in the cold storage at the temperatures  of 4 to 7oC and relative humidity. 
  Diseases  and Pests
  Diseases
  Non-Viral  Diseases
  Early  Blight (Alternaria solani)
				  The  infection appears on lower .leaves with necrotic spots having concentric rings.  The fungus survives in the soil. In diseased plant debris. The collateral host  is tomato. High moisture and low temperature are favourable for disease.
  Control  Measures 
- Follow crop rotation
 - Collect and bum plant debris after harvesting
 - Start sprays the crop Dithane M-45 at 0.2 per cent 30 to 35 days after planting and repeat I0 to 15 days interval
 - Grow early blight tolerant varieties such as Kufri Naveen, Kufri Sjndhuri and Kufri Jeevan.
 
Late  Blight (Phytophthora infestans)
				  The  infection appears at the tips or edges of the lower leaves with circular or  irregular water soaked spots. White downy fungus growth appears on the  underside of the leaves around the spots. Cloudy weather is conducive for very  fast spread of the disease. In case of sever incidence all above ground parts  may show rotting. Later the disease may spread to tubers and initiate rotting. 
  Control  Measures
- Plant only healthy disease free certified seed tubers.
 - Spray the crop thoroughly with diathane M-45 (2.0 kg/ha) or diathane Z- 78 (2.5 kg/ha) or difolatan (2.5 kg/ha) well in advance to general appearance of disease. The spraying operations should remain continue at narrow interval of 5 to 6 days during cloudy weather. (iii) Dig out tubers when foliage is completely dry or cleaned. (iv) Grow late blight resistance varieties like Kufri Navaharl. (v) Avoid applying in excess nitrogen and irrigation.
 
Black  Scurf (Rhizoctonia solani)
				  The  infected plants killed, stem canker may also be formed. Affected plants may  form aerial tubers. On tubers, black sclerotial bodies are formed. It is a soil  as well as tuber borne disease.
  Control Measures
- Always sow certified seeds
 - Treat the seed tubers with any organo mercurial fungicides containing 6 per cent mercury {agallol, aretan, emisan etc.) for about 5 to 10 minutes before the planting and also seed tubers before keeping in the cold storage. (iii) Dip the tubers in 1.75 per cent solution of sulfuric acid for 20 minutes. (iv) Apply Brassicol at 30 kg per hectare in the soil at the time of sowing. (v) Apply sawdust at 25 q/ha with recommended doses of nitrogen at least 15 days before sowing.
 
Common  Scab of Potato (Streptomyces scabies)
				  It survives  in soil years together and on infected tubers in cold storage. It may also  spread through manure. Affected tubers show the superficial roughened areas of  corky tissue, often slightly below the plane of healthy skin of tubers. Low  soil moisture is favourable for proliferation of causal pathogen.
  Control  Measures
- Obtain healthy, disease free seed tubers for planting.
 - Disinfect the tubers by dipping in suspension of mercurial fungicide e.g. emisan-6 or agallol- 6 at 0.25 per cent concentration for 5 minutes, (iii) Plant the tubers shallow. (IV) Keep the soil wet during tuberization. (v) Follow crop rotation with non-host crops including beets, carrot etc. (VI) Maintain soil pH 5.0 to 5.3.
 
Black  Leg or Soft Rot (Erwinia spp.)
				  It is  caused by different species of bacteria. The base of shoots develops a  blackened shriveled cortex and its growth is stunted. Leaflets become reddish  in colour at the tips, branches become stiffened and more upright than normal.  The affected haulms are jet black in colour at the soil level. The tubers  become watery and upon rotting give off offensive sulphurous odour.
  Control  Measures: 
- Obtain healthy seed tubers for planting.
 - Avoid planting of cut seed potato.
 - Avoid planting too early and too late in the season.
 - Collect and destroy affected plants as and when seen in the field.
 - Avoid injury to tubers during harvesting, transit and storage.
 - Wash the tubers with chlorinated water before storage.
 - Keep the stores well ventilated, dry and cool.
 
Bacterial  Brown Rot or Wilt Disease (Pseudomonas solanacearum)
				  Affected  plants show dwarfing and bronze discolouration of the leaflets. When affected  stem or tubers cut across, the browning of the xylem vessel is seen, and upon  squeezing, the whitish bacterial ooze may come out.
  Control  Measures
- Obtain healthy, disease free seed tubers for planting.
 - Collect and destroy infected plants.
 - Avoid flowing rain or irrigation water from diseased field to healthy one.
 - Disinfect cutting knife with a suitable bactericide solution, whenever diseased tubers are cut.
 - Follow crop rotation with non-host crops such as maize, soybean and red top grass for at least three years in the field,
 - Reduce the application of organic manure (it promotes activity of bacteria) but apply high doses of inorganic fertilizers (decrease the activity).
 - Treat the seed tubers in 0.02 per cent sueptocycine for 30 minutes after giving five mm deep cut.
 
Charcoal  Rot (Macrophmina phaseoli)
				  The roots  of the affected plants become brown in colour. The rotting starts on the stem  portion. The skin of the stern becomes ash coloured.lne dark lesions appear at  the lenticels of the tubers and also round the stern end of tuber. Charcoal rot  is common during the hot and dry months in late season crops. 
  Control  Measures 
- Obtain disease free seed tubers for planting. Hill potatoes are nearly free from this pathogen.
 - Grow early maturing varieties such as Kufri Alankar or Kufri Chandramukhi.
 - Irrigate crop at regular intervals.
 - Seed tubers may be treated with ageUal-6 or aretan at 0.25 per cent solution before
 
    storage. The treated tubers should not be  eaten.
                    Wart  Disease of Potato (Synchytrium endobioticum)
It is a caused by the fungus. Affected plants show warty out growth protuberances on sterns, stolons and tubers. The roots are not affected. The wart consists of distorted,
proliferated-branched  structures grown together into a mass of hyper parasitic tissue. It is  difficult to control once it has been established in a field.
                  Control  Measures 
- Avoid growing potatoes in known wart-affected soil.
 - Obtain disease free seed tubers for planting. (iii) Soil treatment with 5 per cent formalin is effective but very costly. (iv)Grow wart tolerance varieties like Kufri Sherpa, Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Jeevan and Kufri Muthu.
 
Viral  Diseases
                    Leaf  Roll
				  A virus known as potato leaf roll  virus, potato virus 1, solanum virus 14 or Corium solani Holmes causes it.  Transmission of virus in nature occurs through infected tubers and through  insect, an aphid (Myzus persicae). Affected plants become dwarf, more upright  thin normal, the leaves are rolled, especially the lower one. They are thick  and leathery.
  Mosaic  Disease
				  Potato crop is affected by mainly  three types of mosaic. 
Type of mosaic  | 
                    Caused viruses  | 
                  
Mild mosaic  | 
                    Potato Latent virus, Potato Virus X, Potato Mottle Virus, Solanum Virus-l  | 
                  
Rugose mosaic  | 
                    Potato Virus X and Potato Virus Y  | 
                  
Cinkle of potato  | 
                    Potato Virus X and Potato Virus A  | 
                  
Control Measures of Potato Viral Diseases
- Plant only certified seed tubers
 - Apply anyone of the systemic insecticides like thimet, temik or furadan in the furrow at 10 kg per hectare at the time of planting
 - Uproot affected plants along with complete root system and mother tuber, and destroy them
 - Spray the crop with metasystox at 0.1 per cent to control aphid population
 - Remove haulms in the first week of January, when aphid population build up is very fast.
 
Phytoplasma  Diseases
                    Potato Witches Broom
				  Infected  plants develop many axillary and basal shoots giving 'witches broom' appearance  and develop small, pigmented tubers. These tubers sprout even attached to  infected plants (Nagaich et al., 1974). The disease is transmitted by grafting  and leafhopper (Orosius albicintus). Tuber transmission is also very high. The  pathogen can infect tomato, brinjal, Datura fastuo.va, D. metel,  Nicandra physaloides, Vinca rosea and Calendula officinalis.  This disease can be controlled by hot water treatment of 'witches broom'  affected tubers at 50 °C for 10 minutes, causes degeneration of pathogen and  plants developed from such tubers did not develop symptoms upto 6 to 7 weeks.
  Purple  Top of Potato
				  The typical  symptoms are purple pigmentation and rolling of basal parts of leaflets of  young top leaves. The affected plants are stunted have many axillary shoots  with aerial tubers. Root system is poorly developed (Nagaich and Giri, 1973).  It causes phloem fluorescence. The disease is transmitted by grafting and  leafhoppers (Alebroides nigrocutellatus, Orosius alibicinctus (and Seriance  equata), Tuber transmission is also common but the extent varies with age of  plants, the host range of pathogen includes tomato, tobacco, brinjal, clove,  Datura stramonium, Calelldula officinalis, Cyphomandra betaceu etc, Phyalis  floridana, Vinca rosea, Oxytetracycline, benlate, cycloheximide etc. are highly  effective and causes 70 to 96 per cent remission of symptoms.
  Marginal  Falvescence of Potato 
				  Flavescence  or chlorosis along the margins of leaflets of upper leaves and small, narrow  leaflets are prominent symptoms, affected plants are stunted and produce  clusters of small tubers, which have shorter dormancy and produce hairy  sprouts. It causes phloem fluorescence (Nagaich and Giri, 1973). The disease is  transmitted by grafting and hopper, Seriana equate the disease can infect other  hosts like, tomato, tobacco, brinjal, calendula officinalis, physalis  flloridana, vinca rosea, and cyphomandra betacea. Treatment of affected plants  with antiamoebin + benlate or benlate + BP causes remission upto 80 per cent.
  Potato  Phyllody
				  The disease  is characterized by extreme hairiness and roughing of leaves and stems.  Chlorotic leaves develop small leaflets but enlarged petioles. Infected plants  develop several naked androecia as small yellow "rosettes" and  axillary aerial tubers Phyllod flowers are enlarged and have cupped clays and  corolla (Khurana et al 1983). It has wide host range and includes Dianthus  barbatus, Pisum sativum, Lycopersicon chilense, Phyalis floridana, Solunum  nigrum and Daucus carota. The pathogen can be eliminated by subjecting infected  tubers to hot water treatment at 50 °C for 10-15 minutes.
  Pests
  Cut  Worms (Agrotis spp, Euxoa spp)
				  They cut  the sprouts at ground level. They feed only at night. They also attack tubers  and make holes, thereby reducing market prices. 
  Control  Measures 
- Spray the crop with dursban 20 EC at 2.5 ml per litre of water or drench the plants, where the damage is noticed.
 - Apply phorate 10 G granules at 10 kg I per hectare on soil around the plants and rake the soil thereafter.
 - Use only well rotten farmyard manure.
 
Epilachna  Beetle
				  Both the  adults and larvae of this beetle feed on skeletonization of leaves.
  Control  Measures
- Pick up the eggs, larvae and adults by hands.
 - Spray the crop with carbaryl at 0.1 per cent.
 - Dust the crop with sevin dust at 30 kg per hectare.
 
Leaf  Eating Caterpillars (Spilosoma obliqua, Spodoptera exigua):
				  Both the caterpillars cause damage by  feeding potato leaves.
  Control  Measures
				  (i) Spray the crop with thiodon 35 EC  or endocel at 0.15 per cent
				  (ii) Making border around the field  with carbaryl dust would be effective control. 
  Aphids (Myzus  persicae)
				  Aphids  sucks the sap from leaves. Affected plants become weak, leaves become yellow  and curl downwards. Aphid secretes honeydew, which gives rise to sooty mould  and other fungal diseases.
  Control  Measures
- Spray the crop with rogor or metasystox or nuvacron or monocil at 1 ml per liter of water, and repeat the spray 10 to 12 days interval
 - Apply thimate 10 G granules at 10 kg per hectare in furrows at the time of planting.
 - Cut the haulms in the first week of January to check the transmission of virus through seed potatoes.
 
Jassids
				  They are  slender wedge shaped green hopping insects. They are diagonally. They suck sap  from under surface of leaves causing yellowing, curling and later burning of  leaves called 'hopper bums' 
  Control  Measures
- Spray the crop with metasystox at 0.1 per cent.
 - Apply thimet 10 g granules at 10 kg per hectare in furrows at the time of planting.
 
Potato  Tuber Moth (Phthorimaea operculella)
				  It is major  pest of potato in storage. It can also attack in the field. It bores and makes  tunnel into the potato tubers.
  Control  Measures
- Sow healthy insect free potato tubers.
 - Use only well rotten farmyard manure.
 - Do earthing carefully, so that tuber is not exposed in the field to ovipositing female moths
 - Spray the crop with carbaryl or nuvacron or monocil at 0.1 per cent.
 - Disinfect the go down with Malathion at 0.05 per cent before storing potatoes.
 - Sort out all affected tubers before storage.
 
Golden Nematode (Globodera rostochiensis, Heterodera  rostochiensis)
				  It is also  known as potato root ell worm or potato cyst nematode. The infected plants  produced additional rootlets near the soil surface. Later, outer leaves become  prematurely yellow and die.
  Control  Measures
- Keep the infested area in quarantine to prevent the spread
 - Avoid growing tomato or brinjal in infested soil.
 - Follow crop rotation excluding solanaceous crop.
 - Treat the soil with DD at the rate of90 gallons per hectare.
 - Avoid the soil seed tubers brought from infested area.
 
Root  Knot Nematodes (Meloidogne incognita and M. javanica) 
				  Affected  plants are stunted, sickly and may show premature and sudden drying. Tiny galls  are formed on tubers. The nematodes survive as egg masses in diseased root and  tuber in soil.
  Control Measures
			    Similar  control measures as described in tomato.
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 1.  ___________ is an example of an edible stolon
				  a. Potato          b. Carrot          c. Cut tuber                 d.  All the above
				  2.  Which of the following is the order in which the potato tuber develop?
				  a.  Initiation, tuberization and maturation         
				  b.  Tuberization, initiation and maturation
				  c.  Initiation, maturation and tuberization         
				  d. None
				  3. A vegetable that  produces ‘haulm’ is 
				  a.  Groundnut   b. Potato          c. Sweet potato           d. Tapioca
				  4. Which of the following  is the latest variety released which is suitable for chipping
				  a. Kufri  Chandramuki             b. Kufri Chipsona  2     
				  c. Kufri  Chipsona 3                 d. Kufri Dewa  
				  5. Alkaloid present in  potato
				  a. Tomatine     b.  Solanin        c. Salosidine                d. Sinigrin
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