Question: The primary center of origin of the potato crop is (RJ AARO Botany 2018)
Options:
China
Abyssinia
South America
India
The potato crop is believed to have originated in the mountainous regions of South America, particularly in the Andes. Wild potato species have been cultivated in this region for thousands of years, and modern potato varieties are descended from these ancient ancestors.
🔑Key Points:
-N. I. Vavilov was a Russian geneticist and plant breeder.
-He was the pioneer who realized the significance of genetic diversity for crop improvement.
-Vavilov and his colleagues visited several countries and collected cultivated plants and their wild relatives for use in the Russian breeding program to develop varieties for various agro-climatic conditions of the USSR. Â
-Based on his studies of global exploration and collection, Vavilov proposed eight main centers of diversity and three subsidiary centers of diversity.
• Main centers of crop diversity as proposed by Vavilov are:
-China
-India (Hindustan)
-Central Asia
-Asia Minor or Persia
-Mediterranean
-Abyssinia
-Central America or Mexico
-South America
• There are three subsidiary centers of diversity:
-Indo-Malaya
-Chile
-Brazil and Paraguay
The endemic species listed from the Indian center include: Rice, Legumes (red gram, chickpea, cowpea, Mung dal), brinjal, cucumber, sugarcane, black pepper, Moth bean, rice bean, cotton, turmeric, indigo, millets, etc.