Potatoes: Growing Practices and Food Uses

Potatoes are one of the most ancient and the oldest domesticated food crops. Today, potatoes are the most important and the largest vegetable crop in the world (both production-wise and consumption-wise). Potatoes are also used as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potato is a starchy tuberous perennial vegetable; however, for vegetable purposes, potato plants are grown as annual plants. Potato plants are considered cool season crops because of the low temperature requirement for tuber formation. The edible portion or tuber is a modified underground stem.