POTATO
The potato is originally derived from the Andes of South America where Native
Americans cultivated potatoes and other tubers by 10,000 years ago in the high Andean mountains of Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador.
The potato was important as a high altitude crop that could be freeze-dried into a
product called chuno, which looks like a dried prune. There were about 7-10
cultivated species with thousands (3800)
varieties in color, size, taste, and
shape.
The people of the Andes (Quechua) grew maize, beans, and
squash in lower altitudes, but developed a variety of plants that could grow in a high
altitude plateau known as the puna.
Most of these high altitude plants
were developed with
characteristics to resist the extreme cold of altitudes between 5,000'
and
14,000' above sea level. The peanut and potato are two familiar examples, but there were
many more less known tubers. Many of these native cultigens are roots or
rhizomes that are protected under ground, since nighttime temperatures can drop as much
as 40-50 degrees F. Here are a few of those tubers that are beginning to attract attention
due to their frost resistance, but also due to their resistance to disease.
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Description |
| Potato, Papa |
Solanum tuberosum |
7 cultivated species |
| Oca, Cavi |
Oxalis tuberosa |
clover-like with wrinkled, multi-colored tubers |
| Arracacha, Apio |
Arracacia xanthorrhiza |
carrot-like tuber |
| Maca |
Lepidium meyenii |
mustard family; turnip-like tuber, grows up to 14,000' |
| Ajipa |
Pachyrrhizus ahipa |
climbing vine/legume;large10 lb. root related to jicama
(from Mexico) |
| Yacon, Aricoma |
Polymnia sonchifolia |
sunflower relative; tubers in bunches,
also like jicama |
| Ulluco, Papa Lisa |
Ullucos tuberosus |
multi-colored/shiny tubers; look like plastic;
highly resistant to temp. |
| Achira, Queensland arrowroot |
Canna edulis |
lily with edible rhizomes |
| Mashua |
Tropaeolum tuberosum |
nasturtium relative; frost tolerant, over 100 varieties |
There were other tubers from America, but they tended to be grown in the lowlands of
Brazil or the Caribbean and did spread to other tropical climates. They include the
following:
| Cassava, Manioc,Yuca |
Manihot esculenta |
sweet/bitter forms; high starch, but very low in protein |
| Sweet potato, Batata |
Ipomoea batatas |
looks like a yam, but different |
| Yampee, Indian Yam |
Dioscorea trifida |
only American yam;
other yams originate in SE Asia |
| Arrowroot, Eredu |
Maranta arundinacea |
rich, starchy rhizome |
| Coco-yam,Yautia |
Xanthsoma sagittifolium |
Araceae family |
| Topee Tambu, Allulia |
Calathea allouia |
sm. hard tubers like water chestnut |
As one can seen the potato is but one of many tuber-like crops that came from America.
It was by chance that the potato was used as a cheap food for sailors returning
to Europe from
America. Once the potato got to Europe, its ability to grow in poor soils,
resistance to
cold, and ease of management gave it an edge for temperate European environments with
already overtaxed soils. It is too bad that Europeans didn't investigate Peruvian agronomy more
since there were disease resistant forms of the potato. The Europeans used only
three varieties of potato, but they were enough to provide food energy for thousands of
poor workers that in turn provided a base to the industrialization of Western
Europe, especially in the British Isles, Holland, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and Russia. Recent evidence indicates that the
improved nutrients and yield per area of land (1/2 acre potatoes: 1 1/2 acres
wheat, oats or barley) increased life expectancy and decreased mortality, which
conservatively increased world population 25% from 1700-1900. Everyone tends to think of Ireland and the potato the most for
deterring outright starvation; unfortunately this eventually led to disaster with sole
dependency on potatoes forcing a generation of Irish to migrate to Australia, Africa, and
America. The worst outbreak of 'late blight' occurred in
1845-46 and 1 million people starved to death. In spite of earlier disasters, the potato continues to be one of the major
sources of food calories in the world. The
International Potato Center (CIP) is
working to restore many lost ancient Andean varieties that are disease resistant
and more nutritious.
Copyright �
S.J. Crouthamel
Revised 2010
The people of the Andes (Quechua) grew maize, beans, and
squash in lower altitudes, but developed a variety of plants that could grow in a high
altitude plateau known as the puna.
Most of these high altitude plants
were developed with
characteristics to resist the extreme cold of altitudes between 5,000'
and
14,000' above sea level. The peanut and potato are two familiar examples, but there were
many more less known tubers. Many of these native cultigens are roots or
rhizomes that are protected under ground, since nighttime temperatures can drop as much
as 40-50 degrees F. Here are a few of those tubers that are beginning to attract attention
due to their frost resistance, but also due to their resistance to disease.