The potato belongs to the family Solanaceae-Solanaceae L., genus Solanum L., belongs to the section Tuberarium (Dun.) Buk., Forming tubers.
The general center for the emergence of cultivated potatoes is the coast of Chile, where the cultivated species Solanum tuberosum ssp. chilotanum Buk. et Lechn., and the mountainous regions of the Andes, where the species S. andigenum Juz. et Buk.
There are 170 known potato species, which are combined in 32 series, which are subdivided into two groups – South American and North American. In culture, S. tuberosum is mainly used. All breeding varieties are created by crossing S. tuberosurn samples with each other and with the cultivated species S. andigenum. Their appearance is dominated by the characters of S. tuberosum. This group of varieties is named S. tuberosum ssp. europaeum Buk. Potato varieties bred with S. demissum
Lindl. and other wild and cultivated species, constitute the subspecies S. tuberosum
ssp. Hyhridum Buk.
All breeding varieties are divided by the totality of a number of characteristics into
varieties. Individual potato cultivars are categorized by country names.
