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Sweetpotato
(Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) is a hardy and nutritious staple food crop,
which is grown throughout the humid tropical and sub-tropical regions of the
world. It is a perennial plant of the family Convolvulaceae, with long trailing vines
and leaves which vary in
shape from simple to deeply lobed. The edible storage
roots are formed by secondary thickening of the upper part of some feeder
roots. The development from crop
establishment to harvesting can take 90-150 days depending on the
variety and the environmental conditions where the crop is grown.
Among
the great diversity of cultivars grown, two types are commonly recognised. The
staple types, grown throughout the tropics, are usually white, red or purple,
although yellow-fleshed types are becoming popular in Africa and Asia. The orange-fleshed
types, preferred in the USA, typically have a higher sugar and lower dry matter
content, and are usually eaten only as a supplementary or dessert vegetable.
Source: >O’Sullivan,
J.N., Asher, C.J. and Blamey, F.P.C. (1997) Nutrient Disorders of Sweet Potato.
ACIAR Monograph No. 48, Australian Centre for International Agricultural
Research, Canberra, 136 p.
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Origin
Botany and morphology
Importance
Growing environments
Nutritional value
Utilisation
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