Advances in Potato Chemistry and Technology by Jaspreet Singh, Lovedeep Kaur

The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) has an annual world production of 322 million metric tonnes, China being the major producer (FAOSTAT, 2007). Potato production has increased over the past years in both developed and developing countries much faster than other tuber or root crops because of its high yield per unit area and nutritive value (Karim et al., 1997). Potato plant is a perennial herb belonging to the family Solanaceae. The plant bears white to purple flowers with yellow stamens and some cultivars bear small green fruits each containing up to 300 seeds (Figure 1). Potato tuber develops as an underground stem (swollen part of a subterranean rhizome or stolon) bearing auxillary buds and scars of scale leaves and is rich in starch and storage proteins (Figure 2). Potatoes can be grown from the botanical seeds or propagated vegetatively by planting pieces of tubers. The eyes on the potato tuber surface, which are actually dormant buds, give rise to new shoots (sprouts) when grown under suitable conditions. A sprouted potato is not acceptable for consumption and processing. But optimum sprouting is a desired attribute when the tubers are used for propagation.