人们通常认为马铃薯是工业发达国家的作物,而在不太发达的国家和地区,马铃薯的重要性似乎无法与发达国家相提并论。但尽管如此,发展中国家马铃薯的产量仍占世界总产量的三分之一。从经济地位上来讲,马铃薯是继水稻、小麦、玉米之后的第四位最重要的食物作物。自1950年以来,发展中国家的马铃薯产量翻了一番,而世界总产量则增加到原来的3倍。马铃薯作物的普及尤其在非洲、亚洲以及中美洲最为迅速。在一些发达国家马铃薯产量均有大幅度增长,澳大利亚和新西兰增长了约80％,美国和加拿大则增长了40％以上。只是在西欧马铃薯产量 Potatoes are generally considered crops in industrialized countries. In less developed countries and regions, the importance of potato can not be compared with that of developed countries. Nevertheless, potato production in developing countries still accounts for one third of the world’s total output. Economically, potatoes are the fourth most important food crop after rice, wheat and corn. Since 1950, potato production in developing countries has doubled, while the world’s total output has tripled. The spread of potato crops is particularly rapid in Africa, Asia and Central America. In some developed countries, potato production has increased substantially, with Australia and New Zealand increasing by about 80% and the United States and Canada by more than 40%. Just potato production in Western Europe