Detailed Explanation of Key Points and Management Methods for Root and Tuber Crop Cultivation

Root and tuber crops, also known as root and stem crops, mainly include sweet potato, potato, Chinese yam, taro and so on. The harvested organs of these crops are tuberous roots and tubers, and they have two physiological stages: the early growth stage and the tuberous root (stem) bulking stage.

Root and tuber crops:

The harvested organs of these crops are tuberous roots and tubers, which grow in the soil. The life cycle of root and tuber crops is divided into the early growth stage and the tuberous root (stem) bulking stage. In the early growth stage, their demand for nutrients is relatively low, but they are very sensitive to nutrient deficiency, which can seriously affect stem and leaf growth and root development, thereby affecting the formation of tuberous roots (tubers). The tuberous root (stem) bulking stage is the period of most vigorous aboveground and underground growth, with the highest nutrient demand, and it is also the key period for fertilization.

1. Potato: it is the fourth most important food crop in the world, after wheat, rice and maize. Potato is also called earth egg, potato , foreign taro and so on, and is the tuber of a plant in the Solanaceae family. Together with wheat, rice, maize and sorghum, it is known as one of the world's five major crops.

2. Sweet potato: also known as sweet potato, it belongs to the genus Ipomoea and is a light-loving short-day crop. It likes warmth, is not cold-tolerant, and is relatively drought-tolerant. It is mainly distributed south of 40°N. Cultivated area is largest in Asia, followed by Africa, and the Americas rank 3rd.