Methods of pre-basic seed potato production with special reference to aeroponics-A review

Although potato is an important food and cash crop globally, its production in developing countries is hampered by constraints such as low soil fertility, pest and diseases and inadequate supply of good quality seed tubers. Lack of good quality seed is mostly a consequent of the prevailing seeds system; in most developing countries, majority of farmers recycle their own seeds or get them from informal sources. This leads to seed degeneration and build up of tuber-borne diseases and hence low yields. In mitigating the problem of shortage of good quality seeds, strategies to rapidly multiply the seed tubers such as tissue culture in conjunction with hydroponic and aeroponic systems have been tried. These technologies needs to be given serious thought and should be promoted in most developing countries so as to increase potato yields. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.