Advances in Research on Potato Production

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the world’s third-most important food crop and the fourth-most important food crop in India. Potatoes are nutritionally rich, fat free, gluten free and high in dietary fibre. They are also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, phenols, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and protein as compared to cereals. They are more energy-packed than any other popular vegetables and have the ability to combat hidden hunger, which is a major global health issue. The potato is also considered the ‘king of vegetables’ due to its versatile uses and is an important staple food worldwide According to the FAOSTAT database (2023), global potato production in 2022 was 375 million tonnes, with the top producers being China (95.5 million tonnes) and India (56 million tonnes). The United Nations declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato (IYP) to increase awareness of the relationship that exists between poverty, food security, malnutrition and the potential contribution of the potato in defeating hunger. Moreover, this magical crop can generate a higher yield compared to the other crops; hence, it is one of the most notable crops to eliminate hunger and poverty. Therefore, sustainable potato production is important for food security and social welfare in future climate change scenarios.

It is important to inform that potatoes have a shallow root system and are highly sensitive to environmental conditions and climate change. It is projected that potato yield may decrease up to 32 per cent by 2050 due to increasing temperatures and drought conditions. Thus, future potato breeding programmes should focus on enhancing abiotic and biotic stress tolerance through the utilization of the natural germplasm conserved in different gene banks along with climate friendly agronomical practices. Moreover, potato breeding should benefit from the effectiveness and ease of molecular techniques such as marker assisted selection, genome wide association studies, functional genomics and transgenics. The development of new potato varieties can also be achieved via genetic engineering and genome editing. Disease free potato seed production requires the integration of tissue culture methods, followed by the production of mini-tubers under an aeroponic system. As it is a staple food for millions and demand for potatoes will increase in the future, which makes this crop suitable for future research. Hence, the present book is formulated for professionals, researchers and post-graduate students who is working with advanced production, breeding and post-harvest technologies on potato crop specially in Indian perspective.