Potatoeye

Potatoeye refers to a bud on a potato tuber from which a new plant can sprout. In botanical terms, an eye is an axillary bud located just beneath the skin at various points around the tuber’s surface. Each eye contains meristematic tissue capable of producing a shoot that emerges from the tuber and develops into a stem with leaves and roots, eventually forming a new potato plant.

Eyes vary in number, size, and distribution depending on the cultivar and tuber size. They are important for cultivation because planting pieces that contain one or more viable eyes will generate new plants. In commercial seed production, tubers are often cut into pieces so that each piece has at least one eye; these pieces are planted as the basic planting units. Some tubers are planted whole when they have sufficient size and eye activity.

Growers may encourage eyes to sprout before planting through a process called chitting, which involves placing tubers in a cool, lightly lit environment to produce short, sturdy shoots. Eyes may also begin to sprout during storage if conditions are favorable; to delay sprouting, tubers are kept cool, dark, and well-ventilated. Exposure to light during storage can cause green coloration and solanine buildup in the skin, which is toxic in large amounts if consumed.

For cooking, eyes are not typically removed, though damaged or very sprouted portions may be trimmed. In gardening contexts, however, the eye is the crucial unit used to initiate a new potato plant.