Nowadays, it will seem strange if you present someone with a bouquet of potato flowers. And in the 17th century, such bouquets were considered luxurious. Modest purple or pink potato flowers were used to decorate the hairstyles of queens and the buttonholes of courtiers' jackets.
The homeland of potatoes is the coast of Chile and the mountains of Peru. Potatoes, which can withstand the cold of the highlands, became the main food crop of the Peruvians.
Europeans did not know potatoes until 1556, that is, before the Spaniards visited South America. Potatoes brought from America were first cultivated as an ornamental plant, decorating flower beds with them in front of the palaces of the high society nobility. And only at the end of the 17th century in European countries they began to grow potatoes for the sake of obtaining edible tubers.
Potatoes were brought to our country during the time of Peter I. At first, the peasants did not know how to use potatoes. Many have tried to eat its poisonous fruits - green berries. This caused severe poisoning. The peasants refused to plant potatoes.
Now potatoes in our country are considered the most important food crop. In addition, it is a technical and fodder plant. Starch, molasses, alcohol and other products are obtained from potato tubers. Potatoes are also used to fatten livestock. When feeding potatoes to cows, milk yield increases.
In mid-summer, potatoes bloom, forming inflorescences with fairly large flowers. The flower has a structure characteristic of all plants of the nightshade family: H (5) L (5) T 5 P 1. Insects do not visit potato flowers well because they have neither nectar nor an abundance of pollen. Potato flowers are self-pollinating. By autumn, potatoes form fruits: greenish-white berries slightly larger than a hazelnut. New plants grow from potato seeds, which in the first years of life will develop small tubers the size of a pigeon egg in the soil. Therefore, potatoes are propagated by seeds only when new varieties are developed. Usually potatoes are propagated vegetatively - by tubers.
Potato tubers- these are modified underground shoots with a supply of nutritious organic matter - starch. Starch is formed in the chlorophyll grains of potato leaves. It then turns into sugar, which flows into the underground part of the plants and there again turns into starch.
Potatoes need a lot of light. In shaded areas, tuber yields are low. By origin, potatoes are a plant of temperate climates, so they grow well and produce high yields in sunny, cool weather, with frequent but not heavy rains.
Potatoes are planted in spring. For planting, medium-sized tubers weighing 60-80 g are selected. Before planting, the tubers are germinated in a bright room for 30-40 days at a temperature of 12-16°C. This germination of tubers accelerates the development of potatoes and increases its yield.
Sprouted tubers are planted to a depth of 6-10 cm, arranged in rows at a distance of 70 cm, row from row and plant from plant. From the buds located at the top of the tubers, above-ground shoots grow, which are covered with loose soil. Hilling promotes the formation of new adventitious roots and underground shoots - stolons, on the tops of which tubers form by autumn.
Potato, or tuberous nightshade, is a perennial tuberous plant from the flowering division, class Dicotyledons, order Solanaceae, family Solanaceae, genus Nightshade.
Name "potato" Solanum tuberosum), by which today's layman knows this plant (vegetable), was proposed by Kaspar Baugin in 1596. The Italians, due to the external similarity of the fruiting bodies with potato tubers, began to call them “tartuffolli” or “tartofel”. From this word a German version of the name for underground fruits “Kartoffel” was formed, which gave it its Russian name.
The number of stems in one plant ranges from 4 to 8-10. Their height, depending on the potato variety, may not exceed 30 cm or reach 1.5 meters. On the erect, fleshy stems of a green (sometimes with a brown tint) color, peculiar ribs are clearly visible. Dark green potato leaves on short petioles rise in a spiral shape from the base to the top.
From the part of the potato stem immersed in the ground, shoots (stolons) diverge in different directions, the length of which can reach 0.5 m. At their ends there are potato tubers, the thin outer shell of which is formed by cork tissue. On their surface there are depressions called ocelli. They contain several buds, from which a new plant develops.
The flowers of the plant, collected at the top of the stems, are usually white. However, there are varieties with pink, blue or purple flowers. Below you can see what a potato stem looks like, as well as the detailed structure of a potato.
The above-ground potato fruit is a poisonous green berry, shaped like a miniature tomato.
As it ripens, it acquires a whitish tint.
The appearance, weight, and color of the top layer of the potato tuber and its pulp differ depending on the variety. The skin of the tuber can be colored in various shades of brown, yellow, pink or purple.
Therefore, it is impossible to give a definite answer to the question of what color the potatoes are.
When cut, the potato flesh is usually white, but there are varieties with dark yellow, cream or even purple, blue and pink coloring.
The shape of potato tubers can be round, oblong, spherical or abstract, with protrusions and irregularities, and the weight of individual specimens can reach 1 kg or more.
Today, approximately 5,000 varieties of potatoes are known. Of these, 260 are recommended for breeding on large farms and for private use in Russia.
According to practical use, all varieties are divided into the following groups:
a variety of table potatoes with elongated tubers weighing up to 110 g. The pulp is light yellow, the skin is darker.
a potato variety with oval tubers weighing up to 85 g. One bush contains up to 23 potatoes with smooth red skin and yellow flesh.
potatoes with oval-shaped tubers with pink eyes and weighing up to 130 g. The top layer and pulp are white.
a variety of purple potatoes, has oblong-shaped tubers up to 10 cm long. Highly starchy, boils very softly, and retains its purple-blue color when cooked. It ripens late and has low yields, so it is not grown on an industrial scale.
Technical varieties of potatoes– used as raw materials in the industrial production of alcohol and starch. The starch content in tubers exceeds 18%. The most commonly grown varieties are:
with large potatoes with a smooth yellow surface and light cream-colored flesh.
medium sized potatoes. The yellow peel is covered with a fine mesh with numerous small eyes. The tuber is cream-colored when cut.
under one bush there can be up to 10 potatoes weighing about 135 g. The surface of the yellow peel is covered with a sparse mesh. The flesh is cream colored.
Fodder potato varieties– used as livestock feed. A characteristic feature of fodder potatoes is their high protein content, reaching 3%. Among them are the following varieties:
a fodder potato variety with red tubers with numerous light eyes and white flesh. They have an irregular angular shape.
oblong tubers, covered with a smooth beige skin, have white pulp with a protein content of up to 2.2% and vitamin C up to 18%. Numerous shallow eyes are located throughout the surface of the tuber.
Universal potato varieties occupy an intermediate position between table varieties and potatoes intended for technical use.
a potato variety with oval-shaped red tubers. The peel is strong and thick with superficial eyes. The white flesh darkens when cooked.
variety with oval reddish tubers and yellow flesh. The stems are spreading with red-violet corollas.
has oval-shaped tubers with light yellow skin and pulp.
Its tubers are medium-sized, oval in shape, with a mesh skin of light yellow color and creamy flesh.
There is a classification of potatoes according to their ripening time:
Potato belongs to the genus Solanum L . families Solanaceae (nightshades). This genus includes about 200 cultivated, primitive and wild potato species, including cultivated species S . tuberosum And
S . andigenum . The homeland of potatoes is Central and South America.
Potato is a perennial herbaceous plant propagated vegetatively: by tubers or parts thereof, sprouts, cuttings, layering. In agricultural practice, potatoes are used as an annual plant propagated by tubers. In breeding work, generative propagation by seeds is used.
when grown from seeds and tubers
A potato plant can be obtained from seeds or vegetatively from parts of the mother plant - tubers.
Rice. 10. Development of a potato plant from a seed
A potato plant grown from seeds (Fig. 10) forms a sprout with two cotyledons (carried to the soil surface) and an embryonic root bearing numerous small roots. In addition to the embryonic root, secondary roots are also formed, which are laid at the base of the stem, in its nodes located underground.
When grown from seeds, the potato plant has a fairly long growing season of 80 – 100 days. By the end of the growing season, it forms a nodule weighing 20–30 g, which is poorly stored, so this method of potato propagation is not used in production.
A plant grown from a tuber (Fig. 11) develops a stem from its eye (bud). In this case, no embryonic root is formed. The tubers themselves do not bear normal roots, but secondary roots arise, as in the first case, in the nodes of the stem at its base or in the stolons and are usually located in groups, three to four together.
Rice. eleven. Development of a potato plant from a tuber
Root system potatoes - two types. In seedlings it consists of the main root, tap root and lateral roots. Vegetatively propagated plants have fibrous roots: germinal (primary), visible on light sprouts in the form of root tubercles; near-stolon roots, located in groups of four or five at the base of each stolon, and stolon roots, growing in groups along the length of the stolons.
The bulk of the roots are located at the depth of the arable layer, some go deep to 70-80 cm and only a small number of roots penetrate to a depth of 1.5-2 m. The development of roots depends on the biological characteristics of the variety and cultivation conditions. In early varieties, the depth of root penetration into the soil is less, in mid-season and late varieties it is greater. With sufficient moisture and good loosening of the soil, the power of the root system increases, which ensures high yields.
Tuber is a modified underground stem formed at the top of the stolon (Fig. 12). At an early age, small scaly leaves are observed on the tuber, which atrophy as it grows, and their leaf trail forms an eyebrow scar. In the axils of the scaly leaves, resting buds are formed, forming the so-called “eyes”. Each of them contains three or more buds, of which one germinates, and the rest develop only when the main one is damaged. The eyes on the tuber are located spirally, mainly in the upper part. Their number varies, depending on the variety, from 4-5 to 10-15 and directly correlates with the number of stems.
P 
The tuber point consists of a growth cone with the rudiments of the leaves of the axillary buds and the rudiments of the roots. When a tuber germinates, sprouts form from the dormant buds of the eyes. In the dark they are thin, long, etiolated, sometimes red-violet or blue-violet of varying intensity. In the light, short, strong shoots with anthocyanin characteristic of the variety are formed (see Fig. 12).
Rice. 12. The structure of the tuber and the light sprout of the tuber :
A- eyebrow; b- peephole; V- lentils; G- stolon trace.
Rostock: A- top; b-neck; V- base; G- root tubercles
The skin (periderm) of tubers (depending on the variety) is smooth thin, smooth thick, reticulated, flaky. The thickness of the peel, the size of its cells and layering are also determined by external conditions. The unilateral use of potassium and nitrogen fertilizers promotes the formation of a thin tuber skin, and phosphorus fertilizers - a thicker one. The cork tissue of the peel is impermeable to gases, so the tuber breathes through special organs - lentils, located in the form of points along the entire surface of the tuber. Lentils are laid in place of the stomata of a young tuber simultaneously with the formation of the peel.
When the soil becomes waterlogged and compacted, white tubercles appear on the lentils, consisting of loosely arranged thin-walled cells that allow outside air to pass into the underlying tissues. Increased growth of lentils indicates a possible disturbance in the respiration of tubers and damage to diseases, the pathogens of which more easily penetrate the tuber through the loose cells of the lentils.
The potato stem has wings - ribbon-like outgrowths between the nodes (Fig. 13). The number of stems in a bush varies by variety from 3-5 to 10-12. There is a certain relationship between the number of stems, the number and 
and the origin of tubers. Small-stemmed bushes have few tubers (5-10), but they
large; varieties with a large number of stems have more tubers - up to 20-25, but they are somewhat smaller, which is more economically feasible, since tubers weighing 50-150 g are more resistant to mechanical damage than large ones, and they are better stored in winter.
The potato leaf is discontinuous - odd pinnately dissected (Fig. 14). It consists of a single terminal leaflet, several pairs of lateral leaflets placed opposite each other, and smaller elements located between them - secondary leaflets. The lateral and secondary leaflets are attached by petioles to the stem, which passes into the leaf petiole.
The leaf, regardless of agricultural technology, is light green, dark green or grayish green (with strong pubescence). The petiole of the leaf, terminal and secondary leaflets, the veins are green or with anthocyanin color of varying degrees, which fades with age of the plant.
Potato flowers are collected in an inflorescence - a complex curl (Fig. 15). It consists of a peduncle, a peduncle and a flower. The shape of the inflorescences is compact or spreading.
Some varieties are characterized by the presence of small leaves called “top” leaves in the forks of the peduncles. Fig. 14. Structure of a potato leaf
The pedicels are divided by an articulation (cork ring) into upper and lower parts.
C 
potato branches consists of a calyx with five sepals, a corolla of five petals, five stamens collected in an anther column, and a pistil. The pointed tips of the sepals are broadly awl-shaped, narrowly awl-shaped and long leaf-shaped in shape.
Rice. 15. The structure of a potato inflorescence
A - peduncle; b- top leaves; V - cup; g - cork ring;
d - whisk; e- anther column; and - pestle; h - peduncle
Fetus potato - berry. The shape of the potato berry is often round, less often - somewhat elongated and pointed. The berry is bilocular and contains a large number of small seeds.
Seeds flattened, albuminous, with a bent embryo.
Similar articles
Tuber in the radial direction: 1a - epidermis with individual
If the elements of a flower are fused, then their number is enclosed in brackets: fused five-membered corolla - Co(5), difraternal androecium - A(9,1).
- irregular flower (zygomorphic)
The flower itself, the structure of which we are considering, consists of 5 sepals collected in a cup, 5 petals forming a corolla, 5 stamens and a pistil. The flower may have narrow, broadly awl-shaped and long leaf-shaped sepals.
The skin of the tubers themselves can be smooth, mesh or flaky, depending on the specific variety. The thickness of the periderm depends not only on the species, but also on weather and climatic conditions, soil quality and fertilizers. For example, the use of phosphorus-based fertilizers significantly thickens the peel, while potassium fertilizers, on the contrary, make the periderm thin.
OgorodSadovod.com
The usual depth of the potato root system is 25-40 cm, that is, the root mass is mainly located at the depth of the arable layer. In some cases, the roots can go to a depth of 80 cm or more. Late varieties have a more developed root system than their early counterparts.
The main feature is that despite the fact that potatoes contain such a poisonous element, they are still quite a healthy fruit. It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, it is also useful not only in food, but also for colds, masks, etc.
There are potatoes in almost every garden, which are used for growing various fruits, because planting them is not difficult, you don’t need much care, and the harvest is almost always good. In general, to sow it you need the potatoes themselves, their skins, good soil and moisture. And all that remains is to harvest.
areas of the periderm; 1 - periderm; 2 - bark; 3 - external phloem;
If the elements of a flower are arranged in circles, then a “+” sign (P3+3) is placed between the number of elements in each circle.
The fruit is a multi-seeded, dark green, poisonous berry with a diameter of 2 cm.
The root system of potatoes is fibrous, the roots are located mainly in the arable layer of soil, and only a few of them penetrate to a depth of 1 meter. In the underground part of the potato, modified stems are also formed - stolons, which, thickening at the end, turn into tubers. The part of the tuber with which it is attached to the stolon is called the umbilical cord, the opposite part is called the apex. The tuber grows at the top - its youngest part.
Potato fel, tuberous nightshade (lat. Solánum tuberósum) is a species of perennial tuberous herbaceous plants from the genus Solanum of the Solanaceae family.
The flower can be white, blue, purple or another color. After flowering is completed, the fruit ripens - a green poisonous berry, reaching 2 cm in diameter. The structure of the berry is quite simple: it is divided into two nests, each of which contains many small flattened seeds.
The potato stem is formed from a tuber bud. Since there are always several buds, the stems also grow from 2-3 pieces or more, depending on the variety and size of the tuber itself. Several stems form a bush. In cross section they have a faceted shape (3-4 sides); much less often the stem looks rounded. Often the bushes reach a height of 80-90 cm, however, such luxurious plants often give a poor harvest, because all the strength goes into the development of the bush. Usually, this happens when there is an excess of fertilizers in the soil.
Interesting facts: you can increase the yield by deepening the arable layer, for example, up to 70 cm. Thus, the number of tubers will increase significantly.
I think it is important to know various facts about the origin and structure of any fruit, because how can you grow and dig up potatoes from your crop without knowing that the type of potato fruit is tuberous? This is useful.
But few people know what type of potato fruit it is. Berry, root vegetable or even a plant? A tomato is a berry, just like a cucumber. What type of fruit is our favorite potato?
4- xylem; 5 - internal phloem; 6 - core.
The position of the ovary in the flower is indicated by a dash. With the superior ovary, the flower is subpetal, so a dash G() is placed under the number of carpels; when the lower ovary is designated - a suprapistal flower - a dash is placed above the number G().
Ca or K (in Russian Ch) - calyx (calyx)
Look at the textbook!
The outside of the tubers are covered with a cork peel, the main color of which is white, red or purple (blue); some varieties have variegated tubers - white-red or white-blue.
The stem is bare and ribbed. The part of the stem immersed in the soil produces long shoots (15-20 long, in some varieties 40-50 cm).
Despite the relatively low content of nutrients in potatoes, this root vegetable occupies an important place in the diet of many peoples. The advantages of the vegetable are the relative ease of cultivation, decent yield, and, of course, the excellent taste of potatoes.
Each stem has wing-like appendages along its entire length.
In addition to the usual roots, in the underground part of the plant there are stolons - shoots growing from the mother tuber. During development, the stolons grow and young tubers begin to form on young shoots. Stolons are easy to distinguish from roots: they are lighter in color and thicker.
Today, potatoes occupy a significant niche in the diet in many parts of the world. Due to its nutritional value, relative cheapness and wide distribution, this vegetable is often called the “second bread”. Despite its apparent simplicity, the structure of potatoes is much more complex, and a detailed consideration of this issue will be useful for many agricultural producers and ordinary summer residents.
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Potatoes are a type of perennial tuberous plant that belongs to the Solanaceae family. Therefore, the answer to the main question is the type of potato fruit - tuberous. Planting it in the ground, it sends out shoots to others with its flowering, thus forming tubers among themselves. By digging them up, you can fully examine the structure of the tubers; it is quite interesting and unlike any other.
The figure shows the structure of two tubers: a newly formed one (1.5 mm in diameter) and a fully developed one (50 mm in diameter).
With a simple perianth, the signs of calyx and corolla are not used, and it is designated by the letter P (perigonium). .
Co or C (in Russian В) - corolla (corolla)
Flower: *K (5) C (5) A5 G2
On the tuber there are eyes located in a spiral, in the recesses of which three dormant buds are most often placed. At the top of the tuber, the eyes are located more closely than at the umbilical cord. Their number depends on the size of the tuber and the variety.
The potato leaf is dark green, intermittently unpaired, pinnately dissected, and consists of a terminal lobe, several pairs (3-7) of lateral lobes placed one opposite the other, and intermediate lobes between them. The unpaired beat is called the final beat, the paired beats have ordinal names - the first pair, the second pair, etc. (counting is carried out from the final beat). The lobes and segments sit on rods attached to the rod, the lower part of which turns into a petiole. Near the lobes of the pairs there are even smaller lobes.
Potato fruit is a multi-seeded berry.
Each potato variety has its own characteristics, including the number, size and shape of leaves. An experienced gardener can easily identify the variety by the appearance of the green mass. The potato leaf is intermittently unpaired and pinnately dissected. On the main rod, between the paired lobes, smaller lobules are usually formed, and between them, in turn, there are lobules of even smaller size.
Many people believe that the tuber is the fruit of the potato. In fact, a tuber is part of an underground stem or stolon, and to be more precise, a tuber is a modified shoot. The plant accumulates starch, sugar and other useful substances necessary for further development.
The homeland of potatoes is Central and Latin America. Spanish explorers began introducing potatoes to Europe in the late 16th century. At first, European kings and nobility appreciated only the flowers of the plant, which they used as a decorative decoration. Peasants zealously rejected this vegetable because they were poorly informed about the nutritional properties of the tubers themselves. Frequent poisonings from potato fruits and berries often led to the fact that, in a fit of anger, peasants simply uprooted the plants and burned them in the fire. The pleasant aroma of baked tubers obviously made people try them. So, gradually, the attitude of Europeans towards the new vegetable changed dramatically.
This type of fruit is characterized by a high content of a toxic substance - solanine, but it is not life-threatening under certain rules:
This is a nightshade flower with 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 stamens, 1 pistil. The fruit is a berry, formed after flowering. Root crops form on the roots.
potatoes - Ca(5)Co(5)A5G().
P (in Russian O) - simple perianth (perigonium)
The fruit is a multi-seeded, dark green, poisonous berry.
Potato tubers contain the most water and starch. The chemical composition of tubers depends on the variety and growing conditions. On average, it is believed that a potato tuber contains about 75% water, 20% starch, 2% crude protein, and the rest is sugar, fats, fiber and ash.
The flowers are white, pink and purple, collected in a shield at the top of the stem, the calyx and corolla are five-parted. Flower formula:
Flower structure: double perianth. calyx and corolla are petalous. (5 petals) covering some semblance of a tube.
There are three degrees of dissection: weak, medium and strong. On a weakly dissected leaf there is one pair of lobules, but there are no lobules at all. The strongly dissected leaf has more than 2 pairs of lobules and many lobules.
The potato tuber has a unique structure and appearance. On the smooth and dense surface of the tuber there are always so-called “eyes”, small black dots and scars.
Potatoes appeared in Rus' during the time of Peter I. The Tsar, as a lover of everything European, brought a small batch of potatoes from Holland and ordered them to be handed over to the peasants for breeding. The lack of necessary knowledge had bitter consequences similar to what happened before to peasants in Europe. In addition, many clergy convinced illiterate people about the inadmissibility of growing foreign fruit and equated it with a sinful act.
You can’t keep potatoes in the sun;
Double perianth - 5L, (5)H, (5)T, 1P fruit berry
Schematic structure of a potato tuber
A (in Russian T) - stamens (androceum)
look
Good luck to you!
The potato fruit is a multi-seeded, two-lobed berry with a diameter of about 2 centimeters. Young berries are green, turn pale when ripe and acquire a pleasant smell. Berries are formed only in a few varieties, which depends on the sterility of pollen prevailing in the potato, as well as on weather conditions. The seeds are small. When forcing seedlings from seeds, potatoes bloom and form tubers in the first year, but the growing plants differ sharply both from each other and from the variety from which the seeds were collected. Therefore, potato varieties cannot be propagated by seeds, and they are sown mainly when developing new varieties.
and the formula and diagram of the flower are the same as those of other nightshades.
The structure of the leaves also differs in the way the lobes, lobes and lobes are placed. If they overlap each other, creating the appearance of a continuous leaf, then this type is called densely divided. If the distance between the leaf elements is large enough, then we have a rare-lobed leaf type.
The eyes are the buds from which the plant stems sprout. The structure of the ocelli is quite interesting: near the main bud, in each of the ocelli there are always several additional buds, which are activated if the main one is damaged. Each tuber can have from 4 to 15 eyes. They are located on the upper half of the tuber.
Potatoes belong to the nightshade family. This is a perennial plant, however, for agricultural production purposes, potatoes are grown as an annual crop. The generally accepted method of propagation is planting tubers, however, experts also use seeds for selective work. The biological characteristics of potatoes as a crop lie in the specific formation of the root system, tubers and aerial parts of the plant.
If any green spots appear, it should be thrown away - this is a manifestation of solanine;
Radish - Double perianth 4L, 4H, T4+2, P1 fruit pods,
size 1.5 mm (A) and 50 mm (B).
G or g (in Russian P) - pistil, carpels (gynoecium) (gynoeceum)
At the beginning of the formula, the sign of the symmetry of the flower is indicated:
Potatoes.
Potato flower.
The flower is correct. stamens 5, pistil 1. ovary superior.
As you know, several centuries ago, a potato flower attached to clothing was considered a sign of belonging to the aristocracy.
The structure of a potato tuber also includes lentils - small points through which gas exchange occurs in the tubers. The formation of lentils occurs in parallel with the formation of the peel. If there is too much moisture in the soil or the soil is clogged, then loose white new growths appear on the lentils, which help absorb air. An increase in the size of the lentils is a bad signal, indicating that gas exchange in the tuber is impaired or it is affected by disease.
There are two types of potato root system. A plant grown from seed has an embryonic taproot with a large number of small roots. Secondary roots are also formed at the base of the stem. Potatoes grown from a tuber have a fibrous root system consisting of sprout, near-stolon and stolon roots.
If the potato has a bitter taste, this is also evidence of the food content, and you should not eat it either.
Tulip - simple perianth L 3+3, T6, P1 fruit box
Above is a diagram characterizing the ratio of individual tissues
Next to the letter expressions of the flower parts, the number of elements is indicated in numbers (five-petalled corolla - Co5, six-membered androecium - A6), and if their number in flowers of the same species is not constant (usually more than 12) - with a symbol.
- regular flower (actinomorphic)
Syn: potato, bulba, gulava, nightshade, earthen apple, devil's apple.
Potato is a perennial herbaceous plant with white or purple flowers, cultivated as an annual. Widely distributed as a food, industrial and feed crop.
The plant is poisonous!Ask the experts a question
Common potato flower formula: Ch(5)L(5)T5P1.
The common potato is not a pharmacopoeial plant and is not used in official medicine. However, tubers and other parts of potatoes are used in folk medicine, and in medicinal nutrition potatoes are considered a valuable, easily digestible dietary product.
In world crop production, the common potato occupies one of the first places along with rice, wheat, and corn. Potatoes are also widely used in cooking almost all over the world, and in Russia they are one of the main vegetables eaten.
Contraindications and side effects
The skin of potato tubers and the entire above-ground part of the plant contains the poisonous glycoalkaloid solanine, the level of which increases with long-term storage and germination of tubers, their greening due to storage in the light, as well as with careless hilling and rotting. Eating such potato tubers can cause severe poisoning. In small doses, solanine has an anti-inflammatory effect similar to cortisone, and in large doses it has a toxic effect: it inhibits the function of the central nervous system and damages the formed elements of the blood. Usually such potatoes taste very bitter.
Symptoms of poisoning: nausea, vomiting, pain in the stomach, shortness of breath, palpitations, convulsions, and in severe cases, short-term loss of consciousness.
Children who eat ripe potato berries may experience the following symptoms: scratching of the throat, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and hand tremors.
Pets that have eaten green tops and fruits may experience diarrhea, vomiting, severe poisoning, depression, convulsions, and disorders of the cardiac and respiratory systems.
In the 16th century, potatoes were discovered by Spanish researchers, and after that they became firmly established in the cuisines of peoples of different countries. In the 20th century, potatoes were widespread and were already used in cooking almost everywhere.
The nutritional quality of potatoes directly depends on the cooking method. The vitamins contained in potatoes are water-soluble, so you should not leave peeled potatoes in cold water for a long time. You need to boil the potatoes in a minimal amount of water, and then you can prepare soup or sauce using the potato broth. It is better to put the tubers in hot water - this will shorten the cooking time, which means more vitamins will be preserved. When baking potatoes “in their jackets,” that is, in their skins, the maximum of their beneficial properties is also preserved.
Potatoes can be boiled, cooked over coals or steamed, stewed, or deep-fried. Potato tubers are included in various dishes, their number reaches 300. In most recipes, potatoes require pre-peeling.
Potatoes mainly consist of starch, a substance that is easily absorbed by the body. Starch is the main ingredient in jelly and is also used in the production of some types of cookies. When starch is added to minced meat, the juiciness of boiled sausages and frankfurters increases. Starch is also used in the confectionery industry in the manufacture of products with liquid filling. Starch is used to produce molasses and glucose, which are also used in the confectionery industry and in therapeutic diabetic nutrition.
Artificial sago is also made from starch - an easily digestible and nutritious cereal that is part of diets that require protein restriction.
Boiled potatoes are a wonderful remedy for sunburn. A nourishing mask based on boiled potatoes in their jackets, mixed with milk and egg yolk, eliminates dry skin, discomfort and burning of the burned area. The mask is applied to damaged skin, then washed off with warm water, and after the procedure, rinse the skin with cold water.
A compress of grated raw potatoes has an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin.
Potatoes are used in cosmetology as a hand sanitizer. For red or flaky skin on the hands, make compresses from freshly boiled potatoes mashed with milk.
In vegetable growing
In non-chernozem crop rotation, it is better to grow potatoes after perennial grasses, as well as winter crops and flax, and on sandy soils, plant them after lupine. Potatoes, as a predecessor, are best planted before grains, legumes and vegetables.
Potato tubers measuring 50-80 g are preferred for planting, since the potato yield depends on the seed material.
Currently, there are many varieties of potatoes that differ in the economic and nutritional qualities of the tubers.
Applications in other areas
Potatoes are used as a raw material for the production of starch, glucose, alcohol and lactic acid.
An infusion of potato tops and laundry soap is used as a natural insecticide in household plots.
Common potato, tuberous nightshade, from the genus Nightshade (Solanum) of the Solanaceae family.
A perennial plant, cultivated as an annual, producing tubers reaching 60 cm in height. Consists of underground and aboveground parts. From the buds of the leaf axils located underground, stolons develop, on which tubers are formed before the plant blooms. At the top of the tuber there are eyes, usually with three buds.
The shape and color of the tubers depends on the variety: they can be long, oval or round; pink, red or dark blue. Potato flesh is usually white, cream or yellowish in color. The root system is fibrous. The leaves are compound, intermittently imparipinnate, with 7-11 ovoid leaflets, slightly or heavily pubescent, light or dark green in color. The inflorescence is a complex umbrella. The formula of the common potato flower is Ch(5)L(5)T5P1. The fruit is a multi-seeded, dark green, poisonous berry with a diameter of 2 cm.
The main potato plantings are in temperate climates. In the tropics and subtropics, potatoes occupy about 20% of the world's area. In the tropics it is cultivated in the dry season with irrigation, and in mountainous areas - in any season.
The largest volumes of potatoes in the world are harvested in China, but Russia remains the “potato tycoon” and is in second place in the world in potato production.
Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.
The medicinal raw materials of potatoes are tubers and flowers. Flowers are collected during flowering in June–July; tubers - in August or September, when they are fully ripe.
Potato tubers contain proteins, carbohydrates (starch, fiber, pectin, mono- and oligosaccharides - glucose, fructose, sucrose), vitamins and mineral salts. Potatoes are a champion in potassium content - up to 560 mg% and phosphorus - 50 mg%. The main vitamin of the vegetable is ascorbic acid (10-54 mg%). 200-300 grams of potato tubers contain the daily amount of vitamin C for the human body. Potatoes contain almost the entire vitamin B complex: B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, and vitamin B5 (nicotinic acid). Also found in potatoes are carotenoids that play the role of provitamin A, sterols (stigmasterol, campesterol, sitosterol), phospho-, galacto- and sterol-containing lipids, organic acids (caffeic, chlorogenic). The predominant organic acids are citric, oxalic, and malic.
Potato fruits contain glucoalkaloids (solanine, tomatine, leptin, demessin), also coumarin (umbelliferone) and paracoumaric acid.
Fresh potato tuber juice inhibits the secretion of digestive glands, has an anti-inflammatory effect, and normalizes intestinal functions; it is used for hyperacid gastritis, ulcerative colitis, spastic colitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, accompanied by increased secretion, gases, flatulence; it relieves heartburn, belching, and other dyspeptic disorders; It is also used for chronic constipation, diabetes, for the treatment of the initial stage of hypertension, arthritis, and diaper rash.
The antacid effect of fresh tuber juice is explained by the presence of starch, hemicellulose, protein substances and low content of organic acids.
The anti-inflammatory, wound-healing properties are explained by the presence of vitamins A, C and P.
Due to the presence of acetylcholine in potato tubers, constant use of potato juice helps reduce blood pressure.
Due to the high content of vitamins, amino acids, macro- and microelements, potatoes occupy one of the leading places in dietary and therapeutic nutrition, and are included in the diet of patients suffering from metabolic disorders, diseases of the digestive tract, kidneys, and cardiovascular diseases.
Fresh grated potatoes, as well as the juice of the leaves, used externally, treat burns, eczema, trophic ulcers of the legs, dermatitis, and make compresses for thrombophlebitis.
Peeled raw potatoes in the form of a candle are used for inflammation, rectal fissures and hemorrhoids.
Inhaling hot potato steam (inhalation) treats diseases of the upper respiratory tract (runny nose, laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis).
Potato starch is used as an enveloping, emollient and anti-inflammatory agent for gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, diarrhea, prescribed orally and in enemas (in the form of a starch paste) to protect against irritants and slow down the absorption of drugs and other substances.
Potato starch is widely used in folk medicine. It is brewed in hot water in the form of jelly and used as a coating and protecting agent for the gastric mucosa.
Starch is also used as baby powder. The dry compress recommended for erysipelas also includes starch. For mastitis, traditional healers use an ointment consisting of a mixture of starch with hemp or sunflower oil.
Raw potatoes are applied to burns, hemorrhoids, and non-healing wounds; this reduces pain and inflammation and accelerates the cleansing and healing processes of wounds.
Freshly prepared potato juice has long been used in folk medicine for heartburn, in the treatment of gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers; helps with long-term headaches. Potato juice is used to rinse the mouth and pharynx during inflammatory processes.
For diseases of the upper respiratory tract with a persistent dry cough, traditional medicine recommends potato steam inhalations.
South America is considered the homeland of the common potato. There are more than 30 wild potato species within Mexico and Central America. Wild varieties of potatoes growing in Chile are considered weeds, but cultivated varieties of potatoes are now grown almost all over the world.
The first mentions of potatoes were found among the Indians of Peru; they harvested this vegetable 2000 years ago. The potatoes were cut and left overnight in the open air. Then in the morning they crushed it, then dried it and got a canned potato called “chunio”.
In Europe, potatoes first came to Spain in 1565 from Chile, and then the plant appeared in Italy, and from there it was brought to Holland. However, for a long time, Europeans used this valuable vegetable only as feed for pigs, and it did not immediately become a valuable field crop. In many countries, the church fiercely resisted this new plant, calling its tubers "devil's apple."
Despite this, already in those years the rulers appreciated the importance and benefits of potatoes for the population. For example, in 1651, Frederick William I, King of Prussia, after a devastating 30-year war, declared that growing potatoes was the national responsibility of the Germans.
Potatoes were brought to Russia by Peter I at the end of the 17th century. But the use of potatoes for food began much later, since people simply did not know which parts of the plant should be eaten. They ate potato fruits (berries), and sometimes even leaves. These parts of the plant often caused poisoning, which did not at all contribute to the popularity of the new culture. As time passed, by the end of the 19th century in Russia, potatoes were already grown on 1.5 million hectares, and by the beginning of the 20th century, potatoes were already called “second bread”. At the moment, about 7 million hectares are occupied by potatoes in Russia, and almost 25 million hectares worldwide.
1. All about medicinal plants in your garden beds / Ed. Radelova S. Yu.. - St. Petersburg: SZKEO LLC, 2010. - P. 25-28. - 224 s. - ISBN 978-5-9603-0124-4.
2. Spaar, Dieter; Bykin, A.; Dreger, D. et al. Potatoes. Growing, harvesting and storage - Series: Plant grower's library, M.: DLV Agrodelo; 4th edition, rev. and additional 458 pages; 2007
