A general account of Starch / Sugar yielding crops – Potato, Sugarcane, Sugar beet
1. Potato:-
Botanical Name:- Solanum Tuberosum
Origin:- South America
Economic Importance:-
> Potato is an important cash crop which gives ready cash to farmers.
> It is said to be ‘complete food’ as it contains carbohydrates, proteins, vit. B. vit. C and minerals like P, Ca and Fe required for body growth.
> It is one of the major vegetable crop of the world.
> It is the richest source of starch.
> Its calorific value is high.
> It produces more food per unit area than any cereal crop within short period.
> In India it is used as vegetable alone or mixed with other vegetables.
> Various products prepared form potato are chips, finger chips, cubes, flour etc.
2. Sugarcane:-
Botanical Name:- Saccharum officinarum
Family:- Gramineae
Origin:-
> S. officinarum (Noble cane ) – New Guinea
> S. barberi & S. sinensis (Both are Indian cane) – North east India
Economic Importance:-
> Sugarcane is a cash crop gives ready cash to the farmers.
> It is mainly used for manufacture of jaggery (gul) and sugar.
> It is used for preparation of juice (raswanti), syrup and also for chewing purpose.
> Various by – products like bagasse, immature tops, molasses, pressmud cake etc obtained from cane are used for different purposes.
> Immature green tops are used as fodder.
> Bagasse is used as fuel and for making paper.
> Molasses is used for preparing alcohol and other chemicals
> Pressmud cake is used as manure
> Trash is used for thatching of huts, mulching and composting.
> The stubbles are used as fuel or for making compost.
3. Sugar beet:-
Botanical Name:- Beta vulgaris
Family:- Amaranthaceae
Origin:- Beetroot was domesticated in the ancient Middle East, primarily for their greens, and were grown by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. By the Roman era, it is thought that they were also cultivated for their roots.
Economic Importance:-
> Sugar is the primary value of sugar beet as a cash crop.
> The pulp, insoluble in water and mainly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and pectin, is used in animal feed.
> The byproducts of the sugar beet crop, such as pulp and molasses, add another 10% to the value of the harvest.
> Beetroot is thought to be a powerful antioxidant which help reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as supporting gut health, lowering blood pressure and potentially having anti-cancer properties.
> In addition, this folate-rich vegetable is regularly used to boost athletic endurance and support muscle recovery.
> The beetroot extract is used to improve the redness in tomato pastes, soups, sauces, desserts, jams, jellies, sweets and breakfast cereals.