Historical characterization of culture and prognosis of development of potato production in Brazil

Abstract

The potato (Solanum tubersum L.) has great expression in cultivated area and economic and social importance for the majority of the more than 160 countries where culture is produced. The objective was to organize information in order to summarize relevant aspects about the cultural history from its most known sources, and to submit most current data on the production and productivity of culture in recent decades in Brazil. The main historical aspects show that the potato crop has its origins in the Titicaca, Peru Lake area, approximately dating back to 10,000 BC Although it is well distributed in the country, except for the northern region, the potato crop in Brazil is developed with the highest expression Southeast and South regions, regions with favorable climatic and soil conditions where the hot weather conditions are unfavorable for the crop. The production and potato productivity in Brazil are increasing over the past decades, yet the setting for culture points to the need for new alternatives for cultivation and consumption to greater standardization and reduction of fluctuations in the supply chain.