Agri Quiz: Horticulture: Potato MCQ

Correct Answer: Solanum tuberosum
Solanum tuberosum is the scientific name for the cultivated potato. It belongs to the Solanaceae family, along with tomato and brinjal.

Correct Answer: Solanaceae
Potato belongs to the Solanaceae family, also known as the nightshade family. This family includes several important food crops.

Correct Answer: Peru (South America)
The potato originated in the Andes region of South America, specifically around modern-day Peru. It was domesticated there thousands of years ago.

Correct Answer: 2n=48 (tetraploid)
Cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum) is typically a tetraploid, meaning it has four sets of chromosomes, with a total chromosome number of 2n=4x=48.

Correct Answer: Modified stem (tuber)
The part of the potato plant that is consumed is the tuber, which is a modified, underground stem specialized for storing nutrients, primarily starch.

Correct Answer: Berry
Botanically, the fruit of the potato plant (which develops from the flower and is rarely eaten) is classified as a berry. The edible part is the tuber.

Correct Answer: Tubers
Potato is commercially propagated vegetatively using tubers or pieces of tubers (seed potatoes). True Potato Seed (TPS) is used in breeding and specific situations.

Correct Answer: Carbohydrate (starch)
Potato is well-known for being a rich source of carbohydrates, mainly in the form of starch (around 22.6%). Starch provides energy.

Correct Answer: Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh is the leading state in potato production within India. Its favorable agro-climatic conditions contribute to high yields.

Correct Answer: Cold Climate
Potato thrives best in cool or cold climates. Temperature plays a critical role, especially for tuber development.

Correct Answer: 17-19°C
The ideal temperature range for the formation and development of potato tubers is 17-19°C. Higher temperatures can significantly inhibit tuberization.

Correct Answer: 32°C
Tuber formation in potatoes ceases when the temperature exceeds approximately 32°C. High temperatures negatively impact the tuberization process.

Correct Answer: CIPC (Chlorpropham)
CIPC (Chlorpropham) is a sprout inhibitor widely used to prevent potatoes from sprouting during storage. It helps maintain quality and extend shelf life.

Correct Answer: 5.5 - 6.5
Potatoes prefer slightly acidic soils, with an optimal pH range of 5.5 to 6.5. This pH range helps in nutrient availability and can reduce the incidence of common scab.

Correct Answer: Tuber formation stage
The tuber formation stage (tuberization) is the most critical period for irrigation in potatoes. Adequate moisture during this phase is crucial for tuber development and yield.

Correct Answer: Dr. Ramanujan
Dr. S. Ramanujan is credited with developing the True Potato Seed (TPS) technology. TPS offers advantages like disease-free planting material and easier transport.

Correct Answer: 100-150 grams
The seed rate for True Potato Seed (TPS) is significantly lower than for tubers, typically ranging from 100 to 150 grams per hectare.

Correct Answer: Dr. Pushkarnath
Dr. Pushkarnath developed the Seed Plot Technique (SPT) in 1967. This technique focuses on producing virus-free seed tubers in the plains by avoiding aphid infestation periods.

Correct Answer: Viruses
A key advantage of the Seed Plot Technique (SPT) is the production of seed tubers that are free from viruses. Viruses significantly reduce potato yield and quality.

Correct Answer: Covering tubers with soil
Earthing up is the practice of drawing soil up around the base of the potato plants, typically 30-40 days after sowing. This covers developing tubers, protects them from sunlight, and supports the plant.

Correct Answer: Cutting the aerial parts (stems/leaves)
Dehaulming involves cutting or destroying the above-ground foliage (haulms) of the potato plant 10-15 days before harvest. This helps in skin setting of tubers and eases harvesting.

Correct Answer: Long Day Plant (LDP)
Potato is generally considered a long-day plant for flowering, but tuberization is often favored under short-day conditions.

Correct Answer: 1% Thiourea
A 1% solution of Thiourea is mentioned as a suitable chemical treatment to break the natural dormancy period of potato tubers, promoting sprouting.

Correct Answer: 2008
The year 2008 was declared as the International Year of Potato by the United Nations. This aimed to raise awareness about the importance of potato as a global food source.

Correct Answer: Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)
The Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), the premier institute for potato research in India, is headquartered in Kufri, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. It was established in 1949.

Correct Answer: Solanine
Solanine is the primary toxic glycoalkaloid that accumulates in potato tubers exposed to sunlight, causing greening. Consuming greened potatoes can be harmful.

Correct Answer: Dimethyl pyrazine
The aroma of potatoes, especially when cooked, is partly due to the presence of compounds like dimethyl pyrazine. These contribute to its characteristic smell.

Correct Answer: 15-30 quintals
The seed rate for potato using tubers varies with tuber size, typically ranging from 15-20 quintals/ha for smaller tubers (20-25g) to 25-30 quintals/ha for larger tubers (30-40g).

Correct Answer: Processing (Chips)
The 'Kufri Chipsona' series of potato varieties (e.g., Chipsona-1, Chipsona-2) were specifically developed for the processing industry, particularly for making potato chips, due to their suitable dry matter and low sugar content.

Correct Answer: Kufri Sheetman
Kufri Sheetman is highlighted as a potato variety suitable for cold climates and resistant to frost damage. This makes it suitable for regions prone to low temperatures.

Correct Answer: Potato Tuber Moth (Phthorimaea operculella)
The Potato Tuber Moth (Phthorimaea operculella) is a significant pest whose larvae bore into tubers, causing damage both while the crop is growing and later in storage.

Correct Answer: Phytophthora infestans
Late Blight, a devastating potato disease, is caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans. It was responsible for the Irish Potato Famine in the 1845 AD.

Correct Answer: Alternaria solani
Early Blight disease in potatoes is caused by the fungus Alternaria solani. It typically appears as dark lesions with concentric rings ('target spots') on leaves.

Correct Answer: Fungus (Synchytrium endobioticum)
Wart disease of potato is caused by the soil-borne fungus Synchytrium endobioticum. It leads to cauliflower-like growths (warts) on tubers and stolons.

Correct Answer: Rhizoctonia solani
Black Scurf is caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani. It manifests as hard, black structures (sclerotia) resembling soil clumps on the tuber surface.

Correct Answer: Globodera
The Golden Cyst Nematode of potato, which causes significant damage particularly in the Nilgiri hills, belongs to the genus Globodera (specifically Globodera rostochiensis).

Correct Answer: Lack of Oxygen during storage
Black Heart is a physiological disorder occurring in stored potatoes due to a lack of oxygen (anaerobic conditions). This leads to the internal tissues turning black.

Correct Answer: Excess Nitrogen or Boron deficiency
Hollow Heart, characterized by a cavity in the center of the tuber, can be caused by factors leading to uneven growth, such as excess Nitrogen or potentially Boron deficiency.

Correct Answer: Solanine
While chlorophy ll causes the green color, the primary concern with greening is the simultaneous accumulation of the toxic glycoalkaloid, solanine. Both are stimulated by light exposure.