Introduction to Root and Tuber Crops: A Foundation

for Food Security and Nutrition

Root and tuber crops hold a unique place in our food systems. These underground food
sources, including potatoes, cassava, yams, sweet potatoes, and taro, have long
supported communities worldwide, especially in regions where environmental
conditions challenge traditional grain farming. Root and tuber crops are remarkable not
only for their adaptability to diverse climates but also for their nutritional value,
providing essential carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

In this assignment, we’ll dig beneath the soil to the fascinating world of root and tuber
crops. We'll explore their definitions, classifications, and the role they play in ensuring
food security, particularly in regions where grain crop production is not suitable. With
over 700 million tons produced globally, these crops contribute significantly to the daily
diets of millions and are a key resource for energy and nutrition. Additionally, in
countries like Ethiopia, root and tuber crops have become invaluable for farmers,
offering opportunities for income generation and agricultural sustainability despite
challenges like pests, diseases, and climate variability.

Definition of Common Terms in Root and Tuber Crop Production

1. Root
Roots are underground structures that grow from the root tissue of a plant. These
are often compact and may develop a fleshy structure that stores nutrients.
Common types of roots include tap roots, fibrous roots, and adventitious roots.
2. Tuber
A tuber is a swollen, fleshy part of an underground stem or rhizome that is
capable of storing nutrients. Unlike a typical root, tubers have “eyes” or buds
from which new plants can sprout.
3. Rhizomes
Rhizomes are stems that grow horizontally underground. Rhizomes send out
stems and roots from their nodes. Many plants have rhizomes as their main stem,
including ginger, calatheas, poplar trees, and bamboo.
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Roots and tubers

Roots and tubers are plants with edible modified roots. The modified roots consist of
tubes and fleshy roots. A tuberous root is a thickened secondary root, as seen in sweet
potato (Ipomoea batatas) and cassava (Manihot esculenta).

A fleshy root is usually an enlarged primary root, as in carrot (Daucus carota) and sugar
beet (Beta vulgaris). Roots and tubers yield starchy roots, tubers, rhizomes, corms, and
stems. Roots and tuber crops are important cultivated staple energy sources, second to
cereals, generally in tropical regions of the world. They include potatoes, cassava, sweet
potatoes, yams, enset, and some aroids.

Root and tuber crops produce large quantities of energy in comparison with cereals.
They play increasingly important roles in global food and energy security. The major
root and tuber crops (potato, sweet potato, cassava, and yam) occupy approximately
53.93 million hectares worldwide and produce 736.747 million tons annually.

Among the root and tuber crops, enset (Ensete verticosum), cassava (Manihot
esculenta), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), potato (Solanum tuberosum), and yam
(Dioscorea spp.) are the most important staple food crops in Africa, which cover around
23 million hectares with an annual production of more than 240 million tons.

The production and productivity of these crops exceed that of cereal crops, which is on
average 169 million tons on 108 million ha of land.

Aspect Root Crops Tuber Crops

Botanical
Develop from root tissue Develop from stem tissue
Origin
Primarily nutrient absorption and Storage, as well as vegetative
Function
storage propagation
Potatoes, yams, and sweet
Examples Carrots, beets, and cassava.
potatoes.
Generally, we cannot grow new Can grow new plants from buds
Propagation
plants. (eyes)
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3.2. Classification of root and tuber crops

FAO classifies roots and tuber crops based on their use into seven primary crops. The
major indigenous root and tuber crops found in Ethiopia include enset, anchote,
Ethiopian potato, and yams. The exotic species include taro, tania, cassava, potatoes,
and sweet potatoes.

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)

Potato is a seasonal crop grown in temperate zones all over the world, including
Ethiopia, but primarily in the northern hemisphere. It is currently the fourth most
important food crop in the world after maize, wheat, and rice, with a production of 368
million tons. It provides significant amounts of carbohydrates, potassium, and vitamin C
in the diet; ascorbic acid present in potatoes protects foliates from oxidative breakdown.

Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas)

Sweet potato is a seasonal crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions. The origin of
sweet potato is Central America, but at present it is widely grown in many tropical and
subtropical countries in different ecological regions. Sweet potato can be grown all
around the year under suitable climatic conditions; thus, it is considered an “insurance
crop” and is a typical food security crop. In addition, sweet potatoes are rich in dietary
fiber, minerals, and vitamins.

Cassava

Cassava is a semi-permanent crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions. It is one of

the world’s most important food crops, with annual global production at approximately
276 million metric tons (MT) in 2013. It is most widely produced in Nigeria (accounting
for ~19% of the total), Thailand (~11%), Indonesia (~9%), Brazil (~8%), and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (~6%). Cassava can be converted into a large number
of products, ranging from traditional and novel food products and livestock feeds to
ethanol, starch, and numerous other products.

Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta)

Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) is a starchy root vegetable that is commonly used in

South American, African, and Caribbean cuisine. It has a rough, hairy outer skin with
crisp, white, or pink flesh. Once prepared, yautia's (Cocoyam's) earthy flavor can be
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likened to that of a nut, versus the mild flavor of a potato or yam. Yautia is nutrient
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dense, low in fat, and contains fiber. Yautia also provides vitamin C, riboflavin, thiamine,
and iron.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta)

Taro (Colocasia esculenta), also called eddo or dasheen, is an herbaceous plant of the
Arum family (Araceae), and its edible root is like corm. Taro is probably native to
southeastern Asia, whence it spread to the Pacific Islands and became a staple crop. It is
cultivated for its large, starchy, spherical corms (underground stems), commonly known
as “taro root,” which are consumed as a cooked vegetable, made into puddings and
breads, and also made into the Polynesian poi, a thin, pasty, highly digestible mass of
fresh or fermented taro starch. The large leaves of the taro are commonly stewed.

Yams (Dioscorea sp.)

The principal edible yams are widely grown throughout the tropics. Starchy staple
foodstuff, normally eaten as a vegetable, boiled, baked, or fried. In West Africa, they are
consumed mainly as "fufu," a stiff glutinous dough.

3. Importance of Root and Tuber Crops Production

Root and tuber crops play a vital role in food security and offer resilience in areas facing
climate challenges. Here are some key benefits:

• Food Security and Nutritional Value

These crops are rich in carbohydrates and essential vitamins. Root and tuber crops are
crucial for bridging food shortages and are considered “insurance crops” in many regions
prone to drought.
• Income Generation
Farmers can earn additional income by selling surplus root and tuber produce. These
crops are also valuable in animal feed and serve as raw materials for industries producing
starch, ethanol, and other products.
• Energy and Industrial Use
The energy-rich nature of root and tuber crops makes them important for global energy
security, often serving as biofuel sources.

3.4. Prospect of root and tuber crop production in Ethiopia

Despite the existence of numerous challenges to agricultural activities, Ethiopia has

marvelous opportunities, like a commercial farming investment in root and tuber crops.
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For instance, the huge number of the labor force, water resources, and proximity to the
Middle East and other African countries to sheep products within a short period of time.
The country also has a great variety of climate and soil types that can grow diverse
horticultural crops for home consumption and foreign markets. Ethiopia is known as the
water tower of east Africa. About 0.7% of the country is covered with natural water
bodies or lakes and rivers, which in turn enhance root and tuber crop production by
using the irrigation mechanisms.

3.5. Problems of root and tuber crop production in Ethiopia

Even though roots and tuber crops, the production status in Ethiopia remains far below
its potential. Several constraints are responsible for this, among which poor access to
improved seed and pesticides, unforeseen climatic conditions, weeds, diseases, and pest
problems are the major ones.

• Poor access to important inputs.

The production of root and tuber crops in Ethiopia is constrained, mainly due to lack of
important inputs such as lack of wide adaptive and improved varieties, shortage of
quality planting material, Lack of pesticides, weak extension systems, delays in
distributing the important inputs Weak technology transfer system to successfully
promote the improved varieties to farmers Using local seed had resulted in lower yields
because the local varieties are susceptible to late blight and, of course, low yield
potential. For example, low yields of cassava due to shortages of improved cultivars are
also reported by different researchers.

• Disease and pest problems

Diseases and insect pest problems are another major constraint in the production of the
root and tuber and tuber sectors. Major insect pests of root crops in Ethiopia include
aphids, tuber moths, leaf miners, green mite, beetle, butterfly, hornworm, and weevil.
Pests such as weevils and butterflies on sweet potatoes, tuber moths on potatoes, and
green and red spider mites on cassava greatly hampered the productivity of these crops.
Major diseases of root and tuber crops in Ethiopia include late blight, virus and bacterial
wilt. Late blight constitutes the most serious threat to increased potato production.

• Policy-related problem

Ethiopia has pursued a range of policies and investments to boost agricultural

production and productivity. These are the major staple foods, such as cereals, to
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increase the availability of improved seed, chemical fertilizers, and extension services for
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small-scale, resource-poor farmers. In addition, crop protection strategies in root crops
are also regarded as secondary to cereal. For instance, the pesticide coverage for root
crops was even lower than pulses.

• Socio-economic problems

Compared to other food crops, production of root and tuber crops is capital intensive,
so that it requires the purchase of large quantities of bulky seed and the application of
high-cost inputs such as pesticides. These are lack of money to purchase, weak and
limited access to markets, lack of storage and processing facilities, lack of information
services, logistics for distribution of agricultural products, problems with transportation
access, and post-harvest handling.

• Technical Constraints

The technical constraints such as bulkiness of the crop, low multiplication rates,
phytosanitary restrictions, and dry matter content/yields of the crops are major technical
constraints of root and tuber crops. Root and tuber crop management and protection
Roots and tuber crops have to be managed effectively to ensure sustainability in
production. Land preparation: Land should be prepared in line with the requirements of
each root and tuber crop.

Irrigation procedures have to be followed carefully:

✓ The suitability of the irrigation water in terms of total dissolved salts, heavy metals,
microbial load, and pH value for vegetable crop production should be evaluated.
✓ Evaluate the moisture level of the soil by the finger-feeling method or in the
laboratory.
✓ Estimate the amount of irrigation water to be applied.
✓ The amount of irrigation water depends on the growth stages of the crop, the
environmental conditions, and the soil type.

Follow different procedures of cultivation and fertilizer application. Remove weeds by

cultivation or other available options (chemical).
Always manage the weeds before flowering and seed setting.

• Mound the soil around the stems

• Do not expose the tubers to direct sunlight while cultivation.
• Observe the plants for occurrences of nutrient deficiency symptoms.
• Determine the type and quantity of fertilizers to be applied based on the
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recommendation of the crop.

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 • Apply the selected and recommended rate of fertilizer using the appropriate method.

Protection of post-harvest

The main causes of loss are associated with mechanical damage, physiological
conditions (maturity, respiration, water loss, sprouting), diseases, and pests. To ensure
effective storage of root and tuber crops, these major causative factors need to be
properly understood and, where appropriate, be properly controlled, taking into account
the socio-economic factors that prevail in the areas of production and marketing.

Protecting mechanical damage

Root and tuber crops need to be handled gently to minimize bruising and breaking of
the skin because of their relatively soft texture compared, for example, to cereal grains.
Therefore, the following methods have to be considered to avoid mechanical damage:
Properly handle it at harvest and during transport to and within a store.

Proper packaging and handling

Packaging is to protect the produce from damage during handling, transport, and
storage and to provide containers of uniform size that are conveniently stacked and
handled, easily accounted for in quantity, and, where appropriate, in weight.
Temperature

Temperature is the single most important factor affecting the rate of respiration; it also
influences the rate of sprout growth, the development of rotting microorganisms, and
insect infestation.

Preventing pests

• Critically observe the occurrence of insect pests and diseases on the planted crops
throughout the growing season.
• Choose the appropriate pest management options and implement them properly.
• Use the integrated pest management methods.
• Cultural control methods (such as crop rotation; weed control and sanitation; use of
resistant or tolerant varieties; host eradication; mulching; etc.) Mechanical & physical
control methods (use of trap; handpicking; tillage and mulching; seed and/or
seedling treatment)
• Biological control This involves the use of living organisms to control pests such as
insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases using other organisms that affect roots and
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tuber crops.
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3.7. Harvesting and post-harvest handling of root and tuber
crops

Since harvested root and tuber crops are living organisms, some physical, chemical, and
physiological processes are continuing in the storage unless they are properly handled.
Such processes lead to postharvest losses. To reduce these losses, the causative factors
need to be properly understood and managed, taking into account the socio-economic
factors that prevail in the areas of production and marketing. Because of their higher
moisture content, greater susceptibility to physical damage, and higher metabolic
activities, harvested roots and tubers are more perishable than grain crops. While losses
of grains are primarily due to external factors such as insects, rodents, and molds, losses
of roots and tubers are caused primarily by physiological disorders, including loss of
moisture and microbial spoilages.

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