Assessment of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) accessions for yield and yield components in a derived savannah region of Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria is the third highest sweetpotato producer in the world, produces about 4.89% of the top 20 countries that produce most sweetpotato around the world. Based upon its potential yield, health benefits, and extremely wide geographical area and soils in which sweetpotato can be successfully grown, breeding and selection for higher and quality yield should be continuous.
In order to determine the yield performances of sweetpotato cultivars in a derived savannah region of Nigeria, a field experiment was undertaken in 2022 farming season at Iresi,Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State.
The treatment consisted of eighteen sweetpotato accessions and three national genotypes as checks, laid out in randomized complete block design in three replications.
Vines containing 4-5 nodes were planted at 1 m x 0.3 m per plot on ridges and NPK fertilizer was applied at 80 kg ha-1 four weeks after planting.
Plots were weeded manually two times before harvest and at harvest, 11 yield parameters were taken.
Result revealed that there were significant differences (P<0.05) among varieties for number of plants, number of plants with root, total number of roots, number of marketable roots, root skin colour and root flesh colour.
The highest root yields were obtained for Obare and PG17362-NI but not significantly different from the checks.
Nwaoyorima (deep yellow flesh colour) may also be considered for further breeding for sweetpotato production in the derived savannah region of Nigeria due to its high resistance to root damage and root flesh colour.