Sweet potato
Ipomoea batatas

Family: Convolvulaceae

What it is like

This is a root crop which produces long creeping vines. The leaves are carried singly along the vine. Leaves can vary considerably from divided like fingers on a hand to being entire and rounded or heart shaped. At the end of the vine, trumpet shaped flowers grow. They are purple. Under the ground fattened tubers are produced. There are a large number of varieties which vary in leaf shape and colour, tuber shape, colour, texture and in several other ways.

There are about 500 Ipomoea species. The young shoots contained 25.03 mg alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E)per 100 g.

Where it is found

A tropical and subtropical plant. They grow from sea level up to some of the highest gardens at about 2700 m altitude in the tropics. Plants can grow with a wide range of rainfall patterns and in different soils. Plants are killed by frost and can't stand water-logging. Plants grow well with temperatures between 21-26°C. It can grow with a pH between 5.2-6.8. Sweet potato are not tolerant to shading. Under shaded conditions, both foliage growth and storage root production are decreased. Some cultivated varieties can be selected for increased production under mild shade but not heavy shade. The survival of cuttings at planting is also reduced under shaded conditions. Under shaded conditions plant become more climbing and with fewer leaves which are however larger. With increasing shade less tubers are produced and these grow more slowly. Sweet potato tends to be responsive to potassium fertiliser. cultivated varieties are often selected for yield under low fertility conditions. Under lowland conditions in the tropics sweet potato tubers undergo active tuber enlargement from 6 to 16 weeks. Weed control is essential especially during early stages of growth. The rate of ground coverage by foliage varies greatly with growing conditions and cultivar but once ground coverage has occurred weed control is less of a problem. Sweet potato tuber initiation is subject to aeration in the soil. Either heavy clay soils, waterlogged conditions or other factors reducing aeration can result in poor tuber production. For this reason sweet potatoes are often grown on mounded beds. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Andes, Angola, Asia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bolivia, Bougainville, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Camote, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Cari, Central Africa, Central America, Central Asia, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Congo R, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, Polynesia, Puerto Rico, Rotuma, Sahel, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies, West Papua, West Timor, Yap, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Tubers are boiled or baked. They can be steamed, fried, mashed or dried. They can be fermented into alcoholic drinks. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer. They can also be used in pies, cakes, puddings and candies and jams. They can be used in noodles. The chopped and dried tubers can be boiled with rice or ground into flour and mixed with wheat flour to make cakes or bread. The young leaves are edible.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. This is the most important food plant in Papua New Guinea. It is particularly important in highland grassland areas. In the world it is the seventh largest food crop.

Edible parts

Tuber, root, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Vine cuttings are used for planting. In grassland soils it is grown in mounds, ridges or other raised beds. In bush fallow, it is mostly planted in undug loose soils. It needs a sunny position. Tubers won't form if the ground is waterlogged when tubers start to develop. Sweet potato is grown by cuttings of the vine. About 33,000 cuttings are required per hectare. These weigh about 500 kg. Vine lengths of about 30 cm are optimum. As long as the vine is adequately inserted in the soil, the length of vine inserted does not significantly affect yield. Fresh sweet potato seeds germinate relatively easily and lead to continuous production of new cultivars under tropical conditions. Excess nitrogen restricts storage root initiation and therefore excess leaves are produced without significant tuber yield. Dry matter percentage increases with increasing age of the crop. Higher dry matter tubers are normally preferred. Sweet potato are not tolerant to shading. Under shaded conditions, both foliage growth and storage root production are decreased. Some cultivars can be selected for increased production under mild shade but not heavy shade. The survival of cuttings at planting is also reduced under shaded conditions. Under shaded conditions plant become more climbing and with fewer leaves which are however larger. With increasing shade less tubers are produced and these grow more slowly. Sweet potato tends to be responsive to potassium fertiliser. Cultivars are often selected for yield under low fertility conditions. Under lowland conditions in the tropics sweet potato tubers undergo active tuber enlargement from 6 to 16 weeks. Weed control is essential especially during early stages of growth. The rate of ground coverage by foliage varies greatly with growing conditions and cultivar but once ground coverage has occurred weed control is less of a problem. Sweet potato tuber initiation is subject to aeration in the soil. Either heavy clay soils, waterlogged conditions or other factors reducing aeration can result in poor tuber production. For this reason sweet potatoes are often grown on mounded beds. In well drained or high organic matter soils digging or mounding is not as essential. Leaf scab (Elsinoe batatas) can significantly reduce yield especially in sites where leaf production is low due to low soil fertility. To reduce sweet potato weevil damage plants need to be hilled or have the tubers well covered with soil. Cracking soils can allow the weevil access to tubers.

The time to maturity ranges from 5 months to 12 months depending on the variety planted and the altitude at which it is being grown. Yields range from 6-23 t/ha.

Its other names

Local names

Adokwin, Agietu, Agira, Amazambane, Anago-te, Anamo, Anantaroana, Atomo anago, Bambaira, Batata-doce, Bath-ala, Bele, Blofo atomo, Boniato, Buteta, Camote, Camote dulce, Chakarakilangu, Chelagada, Chokeh, Damloong chhvie, Dankali, Dinkale, Dipatata, Dladlele, Dokouin, Dukuma, Eghein phegre, Ekomeko, Ekwamun, E-muna, Faan shu, Fanshu, Farta, Gamuti, Gamwuutiy, Genasu, Halagulu, Hila, Hipere, Hongshu, Huwi boled, Huwi matang, Imbambaila, Isaburu, Ji-oyibo, Kalembula wa lungu, Kamote, Kamoteng-baging, Kamute, Kamuut, Kanangi, Kanda, Kandamulo, Kattala, Kaukau, Kawai-ni-vulagi, Kawlkai, Kazun, Keladi, Keledek, Ketela, Kgokgokgo, Khoai lang, Khokhokho, Klawang, Komote, Komwu, Kudaku, Kukunduku, Kumala, Kumara, Lal alu, Luzu vaka, maDima, Man-lyan, Man-thet, Matembele, Mbambaira, Mbatas, Mihlata, Mistialu, Mitha alu, Mophehwa, Morepa, Murambo, Ngwache, Ngulu, Nkutu, N jowo, Ntommo, Ntromo, Oduku, Odunkum, Patas, Patatay, Pedehde, Petete, Phan-karo, Pidehde, Pilau katelo, Pot-ecok, Puderedie, Ranga alu, Ratale, Ratalu, Ruidok, Saburu, Sakaria, Sakarkenda, Sakarkhand, Sakhara khand, Sakkareivelleikilangu, Satsumaimo, Satsuma inno, Setilo, Shakar-kandi, Shakarkand, Shakarkandi, Siapuru, Sila, So, Tawa, Tegak, Tela, Tiem shee, Tila, Timala, Timanuonti, Tonana, Toxombam Ubhatata, Ubi jawa, Ubi keladi, Ubi-jalar, Umala, Umara, Vomanga, Wattalakklangu, Weli, Wuse, Yengtoktang

Synonyms

Convolvulus batatas L.; Convolvulus edulis Thunb.;