Potato and Tuber Crops

Cultivation and Uses

• Unlike most tubers, but in common with other members of the Asteraceae (including the artichoke), the tubers store the carbohydrate inulin (not to be confused with insulin) instead of starch.
• For this reason, Jerusalem artichoke tubers are an important source of fructose for industry.
• The crop yields are high, typically 16–20 tonnes/ha for tubers, and 18–28 tonnes/ha green weight for foliage.
• Jerusalem artichoke also has a great deal of unused potential as a producer of ethanol fuel, using inulin-adapted strains of yeast for fermentation.
• Jerusalem artichokes are easy to cultivate, which tempts gardeners to simply leave them completely alone to grow.
• However, the quality of the edible tubers degrades unless the plants are dug up and replanted in fertile soil.
• This can be a chore, as even a small piece of tuber will grow if left in the ground, making the hardy plant a potential weed.
• The tubers have a consistency much like potatoes, and in their raw form have a similar taste to potatoes.
• The carbohydrates give the tubers a tendency to become soft and mushy if boiled, but retain their texture better when steamed.
• The inulin is not well digested by some people, leading in some cases to flatulence and gastric pain.