Unit 3

Root and Tuber Crops Production and Management

3.1 definition of common term

Root
Root is a compact, often enlarged storage organ with hairy stems
that develops from root tissue.
It is an important part of plant that grow down the soil.
Type of root
Tap root Fibrous root
 Main root grow down They has no central root
vertically They have small branched root
 It penetrate deep in to soil it does not grow deep under

ground
Example Examples
Carrot Rice

Radish Banana
Grasse

Figure: Tap and Fibrous root

Tuber
Tuber is an enlarged storage organ that develops from
elongated stem tissue, or rhizome.
Root crop
are a crop grown for its enlarged and edible roots.
E.g. beet roots, carrot, parsnip, cassava.

Figure. Root crops

Tuber crops
are crops with swollen underground stems and
roots.
E.g. Potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams

Figure. Tuber crops

Roots and Tubers
 Roots and tubers crops are important cultivated
staple energy sources, second to cereals, generally in
tropical regions in the world.
 They are plants with edible modified roots.

Root are modified

For support
 prop roots e.g. banyan tree
 stilt root e.g. sugarcane
Figure :banyan tree Figure: sugarcane
For respiration
• plants growing in swampy area the roots grow
vertically upward such root called
pneumatophores which help to get oxygen .
e.g Avicennia germinaus

figure: Avicennia germinaus

For food storage
E.g sweet potato
carrot
Radish
Figure: Carrot
• The modified roots consist of the tuberous 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).
3.2. Classification of root and tuber crops
FAO classifies roots and tuber crops based on
their use in to seven primary crops.
The major indigenous root and tuber crops
find in Ethiopia include:
 enset,
 anchote,
 Ethiopian potato, and
 yams.
• The exotic species include taro, tania, cassava, potato,
and sweet potato
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
• is a seasonal crop grown in temperate zones all over
the world including Ethiopia.
• It is currently the fourth most important food crop in
the world after maize, wheat, and rice, with a
production of 368 million tones.
• It provides significant amounts of
carbohydrates,

potassium, and
•ascorbic acid present in potatoes protect foliates from
oxidative breakdown.

Figure3.3. Potatoes (Solanum tuberous)

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 as an
“insurance crop” and is typical food security crop.
• In addition, sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber,
minerals and vitamins.

Figure. Sweet potato

Cassava (Manihot esculenta)
• Cassava is 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 Democratic Republic of Congo
(~6%).
Cassava can be converted into a large number of
products ranging from traditional and novel
food products, livestock feeds to ethanol, starch
and numerous other products.

Figure Cassava Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta).

Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta)
• is a starchy root vegetables that is commonly used in
South American, African, and Caribbean cuisine.
• It provide vitamin C, riboflavin, thiamine, and iron.

Figure . Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta).

Taro (Colocasia esculenta)
Taro, also called eddo or dasheen, is an
herbaceous plant of the arum family (Araceae)
and its edible root like corm.
Taro is probably native to southeastern Asia
whence it spread to Pacific islands and
became a staple crop

Figure :Taro (Colocasia esculenta)

• 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.

Figure: Yams (Dioscorea sp.)

 3.3. Importance of root and tuber crops production

• Roots and tuber crops play significant roles for food and
nutritional security of farmers and other parts of communities.
• They play major role to fill food gaps that might exist until
harvest of major crops.
• Root crops in general, and sweet potato in particular, are
drought resistant and serve as security food crops in drought-
prone areas of the country.
• Root and tuber crops generate income for farmers of Ethiopia.
3.4. Prospect of root and tuber crops production in
Ethiopia.
Ethiopia has marvelous opportunity like a commercial
farming investment on root and tuber crops.
For instances
 the huge number of the labour force,
 water resource and
 proximity to the Middle East and other
African countries
great variety of climate and soil type
Ethiopia is known as the water tower of east Africa. About
0.7% of the country is covered with water.
• It enhances root and tuber crops production by using the
irrigation mechanisms.
3.5. Problems of root and tuber crops production in
Ethiopia
• Roots and tuber crops production status in Ethiopia
remains far below its potential.
• Several constraints are responsible for this among
which poor access
Poor access for important inputs
The production of root and tuber crops in Ethiopia is
constrained, mainly due to lack of important inputs
such as ƒ
• lack of wide adaptive and improved varieties, ƒ
• shortage of quality planting material,
• Lacks of pesticides, ƒ
• weak extension systems ƒ
• delays in distributing the important inputs ƒ
• Weak Technology transfer system to successfully
promote the improved varieties to farmers.
Disease and pest problems
• Major insect pests of root crop in Ethiopia include
aphids, tuber moths, leaf miners, green mite, beetle,
butterfly, hornworm and weevil.
• 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.
This the major staple foods such as cereals, to increase
the availability of improved seed, chemical fertilizers,
and extension services for small-scale, resource-poor
farmers.
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.
• 3.6. Root and tuber crops managements and
Protection
• Roots and tuber crops have to be managed
effectively to ensure the sustainability in production:
• Land preparation:
Land should be prepared in line with the requirement
of each root and tuber crops

Figure Land preparation

irrigation procedures has to be followed carefully
• The suitability of the irrigation water in terms of total
dissolved salts, heavy metal, and microbial load and
pH value for vegetable crop production should be
evaluated.
Protection of post-harvest
• The main causes of loss are associated with
mechanical damage, physiological condition
(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 which prevail in the areas of production and
marketing
Protecting Mechanical Damage
• Packaging is to protect the produce from damage
during handling, transport and storage.
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
micro-organisms and insect infestation.
Preventing pests
• Critically observe the occurrence of insect pest and
diseases on the planted crops throughout the growing
season.
• Choose the appropriate pest management options and
implement it properly ƒ
• Use the Integrated pest management methods.

• Cultural control methods such as crop rotation;

weed control and sanitation; use of resistant or
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
tuber crops.
3.7. Harvesting and post-harvest handling of root
and tuber crops
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 damages 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, the losses
of roots and tubers are caused primarily by
physiological disorders including loss of moisture
and microbial spoilages.