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| − | {{Taxobox | + | {{SPlantbox |
| − | | color = lightgreen | + | |familia=Convolvulaceae |
| − | | name = Sweet Potato | + | |genus=Ipomoea |
| − | | image = Sweetpotatoblossom5164.JPG | + | |species=batatas |
| − | | image_width = 250px
| + | |common_name=Sweet potato |
| − | | image_caption = Sweet potato in flower<br>[[Hemingway, South Carolina]] | + | |habit=vine-climber |
| − | | regnum = [[Plantae]] | + | |origin=Tropical S America |
| − | | divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]] | + | |features=flowers, edible |
| − | | classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] | + | |Temp Metric=°F |
| − | | ordo = [[Solanales]] | + | |jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks! |
| − | | familia = [[Convolvulaceae]] | + | |image=Ipomoea batatas.jpg |
| − | | genus = ''[[Ipomoea]]'' | + | |image_width=240 |
| − | | species = '''''I. batatas'''''
| + | |image_caption=Sweet potato in flower |
| − | | binomial = ''Ipomoea batatas'' | |
| − | | binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]] | |
| | }} | | }} |
| | + | The '''sweet potato''' ('''''Ipomoea batatas''''') is a [[dicotyledonous]] plant that belongs to the family [[Convolvulaceae]]. Its large, [[starch]]y, sweet tasting [[tuberous root]]s are an important [[root vegetable]] (Purseglove, 1991; Woolfe, 1992). The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as [[greens (vegetable)|greens]]. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of Convolvulaceae, ''I. batatas'' is the only [[agriculture|crop]] [[plant]] of major importance – some others are used locally, but many are actually poisonous. |
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| − | The '''sweet potato''' (''Ipomoea batatas''), commonly called a '''yam''' in parts of the United States (especially in the southern and western portions of the country; this terminology causes some confusion with true yams) is a [[agriculture|crop]] [[plant]] whose large, [[starch]]y, sweet tasting [[tuberous root]]s are an important [[root vegetable]]. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as [[greens (vegetable)|greens]]. The sweet potato is only distantly related to the [[potato]] (''Solanum tuberosum''). It is even more distantly related to the true [[yam (vegetable)|yam]] (''Dioscorea species'') which is native to Africa and Asia.
| + | The sweet potato is only distantly related to the [[potato]] (''Solanum tuberosum''). The softer, orange variety is commonly marketed as a "yam" in parts of North America, a practice possibly intended to differentiate it from the firmer, white variety. The sweet potato is very distinct from the actual [[yam (vegetable)|yam]], which is native to Africa and Asia and belongs to the [[monocot]] family [[Dioscoreaceae]]. To prevent confusion, the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] requires that sweet potatoes labeled as "yams" also be labeled as "sweet potatoes".<ref>http://www.foodreference.com/html/art-sweet-potato-yam.html</ref> |
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| − | The [[genus]] ''Ipomoea'' that contains the sweet potato also includes several garden flowers called [[morning glory|morning glories]], though that term is not usually extended to ''Ipomoea batatas''. Some [[cultivar]]s of ''Ipomoea batatas'' are grown as [[houseplant]]s. | + | The [[genus]] ''Ipomoea'' that contains the sweet potato also includes several garden flowers called [[morning glory|morning glories]], though that term is not usually extended to ''Ipomoea batatas''. Some [[cultivar]]s of ''Ipomoea batatas'' are grown as ornamental plants; the name "tuberous morning glory" may be used in a [[horticultural]] context. |
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| − | This plant is a [[herbaceous plant|herbaceous]] [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[vine]], bearing alternate heart-shaped or palmately lobed [[leaves]] and medium-sized sympetalous [[flower]]s. The edible [[tuberous root]] is long and tapered, with a smooth skin whose color ranges between red, purple, brown and white. Its flesh ranges between white, yellow, orange, and purple. | + | This plant is a [[herbaceous plant|herbaceous]] [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[vine]], bearing alternate heart-shaped or palmately lobed [[leaves]] and medium-sized [[sympetalous]] [[flower]]s. The edible [[tuberous root]] is long and tapered, with a smooth skin whose colour ranges between red, purple, brown and white. Its flesh ranges from white through yellow, orange, and purple. |
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| − | == Origin and distribution ==
| + | {{Inc| |
| − | [[Image:Sweetpotato5162.JPG|thumb|left|Sweet potatoes in the field.]]
| + | Ipomoea batatas, Poir. (Batatas edulis, Choisy). Sweet Potato. Lvs. ovate-cordate, usually angular or lobed, variable, petioled: peduncles equaling or exceeding the petioles, several-fld.; corolla 1-2 in. wide. Origin probably from I. fastigiata of Trop. Amer. (I. platanifolia. R. & S.).—Largely cult, in many varieties for its edible tubers. See Sweet Potato. |
| − | | + | }} |
| − | Sweet potatoes are native to the tropical parts of the [[Americas]], and were domesticated there at least 5000 years ago. [http://www.cipotato.org/market/PgmRprts/pr99-00/39historic.pdf] [http://www.cgiar.org/impact/research/sweetpotato.html] They spread very early throughout the region, including the [[Caribbean]]. They were also known before western exploration in [[Polynesia]]. How exactly they arrived there is the subject of a fierce debate which involves [[archaeology|archaeological]], [[linguistics|linguistic]] and [[genetics|genetic]] [[scientific method|evidence]]. | |
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| − | Sweet potatoes are now cultivated throughout tropical and warm temperate regions wherever there is sufficient water to support their growth.
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| − | According to 2004 [[FAO]] statistics world production is 127,000,000 tons [http://faostat.fao.org/faostat/servlet/XteServlet3?Areas=%3E862&Items=122&Elements=51&Years=2004&Format=Table&Xaxis=Years&Yaxis=Countries&Aggregate=&Calculate=&Domain=SUA&ItemTypes=Production.Crops.Primary&language=EN]. The majority comes from [[China]] with a production of 105,000,000 [[tonne]]s from 49,000 km². About half of the Chinese crop is used for livestock feed [http://www.cgiar.org/impact/research/sweetpotato.html].
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| − | Per-capita production is greatest in countries where sweet potatoes are a staple of human consumption, led by the [[Solomon Islands]] at 160 kg per person per year and [[Burundi]] at 130 kg.
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| − | [[North Carolina]], the leading U.S. state in sweet potato production, currently provides 40% of the annual U.S. production of sweet potatoes.
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| − | [[Mississippi]] is also a major sweet potato producing state, where they are grown on approximately 8,200 acres. Mississippi sweet potatoes contribute $19 million dollars to the economy of the state and around 150 Mississippi farmers presently grow sweet potatoes. Mississippi's top five sweet potato producing counties are [[Calhoun County, Mississippi|Calhoun]], [[Chickasaw County, Mississippi|Chickasaw]], [[Pontotoc County, Mississippi|Pontotoc]], [[Yalobusha County, Mississippi|Yalobusha]], and [[Panola County, Mississippi|Panola]]. The National Sweet Potato Festival is held annually the entire first week in November in [[Vardaman, Mississippi|
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| − | Vardaman]], which proclaims itself as "The Sweet Potato Capitol".
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| − | The town of [[Benton, Kentucky|Benton]], [[Kentucky]] celebrates the sweet potato annually with its Tater Day Festival on the first Monday of April.
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| | ==Cultivation== | | ==Cultivation== |
| − | [[Image:Ipomoea batatasL ja01.jpg|thumb|250px|Freshly dug sweet potato.]]
| + | The plant does not tolerate [[frost]]. It grows best at an average [[temperature]] of {{convert|24|°C|°F|abbr=on}}, abundant sunshine and warm nights. Annual rainfalls of 750–1000 mm are considered most suitable, with a minimum of 500 mm in the growing season. The crop is sensitive to drought at the tuber initiation stage 50–60 days after planting and is not tolerant to water-logging, as it may cause tuber rots and reduce growth of storage roots if aeration is poor (Ahn, 1993). |
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| − | The plant does not tolerate [[frost]]. It grows best at an average [[temperature]] of 24 °C (75 °F). Depending on the cultivar and conditions, tuberous roots mature in 2 to 9 months. With care, early-maturing cultivars can be grown as an [[Annual plant|annual]] summer crop in [[temperate climate|temperate]] areas, such as the northern USA. Sweet potatoes rarely [[flower]] when the daylight is longer than 11 hours, as is normal outside of the [[tropics]]. They are mostly propagated by stem or root cuttings or by adventitious roots called "slips" that grow out from the tuberous roots during storage. True seeds are used for breeding only. | |
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| − | Under optimal conditions of 85 to 90 % [[relative humidity]] at 13 to 16 °C (55 to 61 °F), sweet potatoes can keep for six months. Colder temperatures injure the roots.
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| − | They grow well in many farming conditions and have few natural enemies; pesticides are rarely needed. They can be grown in poor soils with little fertilizer. Because they are sown by vine cuttings rather than seeds, sweet potatoes are relatively easy to plant. Because the rapidly growing vines shade out weeds, little weeding is needed, and farmers can devote time to other crops. In the tropics the crop can be maintained in the ground and harvested as needed for market or home consumption. In temperate regions sweet potatoes are most often grown on larger farms and are harvested before frosts set in.(CGIAR)
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| − | [[China]] is the largest grower of sweet potatoes; providing about 80% of the world's supply, 130 million tons were produced in one year (in 1990; about half that of common potatoes). Historically, most of China's sweet potatoes were grown for human consumption, but now most (60%) are grown to feed [[pig]]s. The rest are grown for human food and for other products. Some are grown for export, mainly to [[Japan]]. China grows 100 varieties of sweet potato.(JRT)
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| − | Sweet potatoes very early became popular in the islands of the Pacific, from Japan to Polynesia. One reason is that they were favored as an emergency crop that could be relied on if other crops failed due to typhoon flooding and the like. They are featured in many favorite dishes in Japan, [[Taiwan]], [[the Philippines ]], and other island nations. [[Indonesia]], [[Vietnam]], [[India]], and some other Asian countries are also large sweet potato growers. [[Uganda]] (the third largest grower after Indonesia), [[Rwanda]], and some other African countries also grow a large crop which is an important part of their peoples' diets. North and South America, the original home of the sweet potato, together grow less than three percent of the world's supply. Europe has only a very small sweet potato production, mostly in [[Portugal]].(JRT)(FAO)
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| − | Sweet potatoes were an important part of the diet in the United States for most of its history, especially in the Southeast. In recent years however they have become less popular. The average per capita consumption of sweet potatoes in the United States is only about 1.5-2 kg (4 lbs) per year, down from 13 kg (31 lb) in 1920. Southerner Kent Wrench writes: "The SweetPotato became associated with hard times in the minds of our ancestors and when they became affluent enough to change their menu, the potato was served less often."(NCSPC)
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| − | ===Diseases===
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| − | {{Main|List of sweetpotato diseases}}
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| − | == Uses ==
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| − | [[Image:5aday sweet potato.jpg|thumb|A sweet potato.|250px]]
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| − | The roots are most frequently boiled, fried, or baked. They can also be processed to make [[starch]] and a partial [[flour]] substitute. Industrial uses include the production of [[starch]] and industrial [[alcohol]].
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| − | ===Culinary Uses===
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| − | Although the leaves and shoots are also edible, the [[starch]]y tuberous roots are by far the most important product. In
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| − | some [[tropical]] areas, they are a staple food-crop. Besides starch, they are rich in [[dietary fiber]], [[vitamin A]], [[vitamin C]], and [[pyridoxine|vitamin B6]]. All cultivars are more-or-less sweet-flavored. Despite the name "sweet", it is actually a good food for [[diabetics]] as preliminary studies on animals have revealed that it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and lowered insulin resistance.<ref>[http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64 Sweet potatoes]</ref>
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| − | In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex [[carbohydrate]]s, [[protein]], [[vitamin]]s A and C, [[iron]], and [[calcium]], the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato.(NCSPC)
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| − | Sweet potato varieties with dark orange flesh have more [[Vitamin A]] than those with light colored flesh and their increased cultivation is being encouraged in Africa where Vitamin A deficiency is a serious health problem. Some Americans, including television personality [[Oprah Winfrey]], are advocating increased consumption of sweet potatoes both for their health benefits and because of their importance in traditional Southern cuisine.
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| − | '''Candied sweet potatoes''' are a side dish consisting mainly of sweet potatoes prepared with sugar, [[marshmallow]]s, [[maple syrup]], [[molasses]], or other sweet ingredients. Often served on American [[Thanksgiving]], it represents traditional [[cuisine of the United States|American cooking]] and indigenous food.
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| − | '''[[Sweet potato pie]]''' is also a traditional favorite dish in southern U.S. cuisine.
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| − | '''Baked sweet potatoes''' are sometimes offered in restaurants as an alternative to [[baked potato|baked potatoes]]. They are often topped with brown sugar and butter.
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| − | '''Boiled sweet potato leaves''' are a common side dish in Taiwanese cuisine, often boiled with garlic and vegetable oil and dashed with salt before serving. They are commonly found at [[biàndāng]] restaurants, as well as dishes featuring the sweet potato root.
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| − | '''Steamed/Boiled chunks''', for a simple and healthy snack, chunks of sweet potato may be boiled in water or cooked in the microwave.
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| − | '''Sweet potato chips''', they can be sliced, fried, and eaten just like [[potato chips]] or [[french fries]] like at the Taiwan chain of T.K.K. Fried Chicken International restaurants.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
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| − | ''[[Shōchū]]''' is a [[Japan]]ese alcohol made from [[rice]] and sweet potato.
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| − | ===Non-Culinary Uses===
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| − | In [[South America]], the juice of red sweet potatoes is combined with [[lime (fruit)|lime]] juice to make a [[dye]] for [[cloth]]. By varying the proportions of the juices, every shade from pink to purple to black can be obtained. (Verrill p. 47)
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| − | All parts of the plant are used for animal [[fodder]].
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| − | ==Ethnomedical Uses==
| + | Depending on the cultivar and conditions, tuberous roots mature in two to nine months. With care, early-maturing cultivars can be grown as an [[Annual plant|annual]] summer crop in [[temperate climate|temperate]] areas, such as the northern United States. Sweet potatoes rarely [[flower]] when the daylight is longer than 11 hours, as is normal outside of the [[tropics]]. They are mostly propagated by stem or root cuttings or by adventitious roots called "slips" that grow out from the tuberous roots during storage. True seeds are used for breeding only. |
| − | * The [[aerial root]]s are used as a [[galactogogue]].
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| − | * The [[leaves]] are used to treat [[diabetes]], [[hookworm]], [[hemorrhage]], and [[abscess]]es.
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| − | * The [[tuber]] is used to treat [[asthma]].
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| − | == Names ==
| + | Under optimal conditions of 85 to 90% [[relative humidity]] at {{convert|13|to|16|C|F}}, sweet potatoes can keep for six months. Colder temperatures injure the roots. |
| − | [[Image:Thames Kumara n.jpg|thumb|Kumara for sale, Thames, The North Island, New Zealand.|250px]] | |
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| − | The moist-fleshed, orange cultivars of sweet potato are often referred to as “yams” in the United States. One explanation of this confusion is that Africans brought to America took to calling American sweet potatoes ''Nyamis'', perhaps from the [[Fula people|Fulani]] word ''nyami'' (to eat) or the [[Twi]] word ''anyinam'', which refers to a true yam. The [[yam (vegetable)|true yam]], which is native to Africa and Asia, can grow up to 2 m (6 ft) in length (sometimes with knuckle-like ends) and has a scaly skin, a pinkish white center, and a thick, almost oily feel to the tongue.
| + | They grow well in many farming conditions and have few natural enemies; pesticides are rarely needed. Sweet potatoes are grown on a variety of soils, but well-drained light and medium textured soils with a pH range of 4.5-7.0 are more favourable for the plant (Woolfe, 1992; Ahn, 1993). They can be grown in poor soils with little fertilizer. However, sweet potatoes are very sensitive to aluminium toxicity and will die about 6 weeks after planting if lime is not applied at planting in this type of soil (Woolfe, 1992). Because they are sown by vine cuttings rather than seeds, sweet potatoes are relatively easy to plant. Because the rapidly growing vines shade out weeds, little weeding is needed, and farmers can devote time to other crops. In the tropics, the crop can be maintained in the ground and harvested as needed for market or home consumption. In temperate regions, sweet potatoes are most often grown on larger farms and are harvested before first frosts. |
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| − | "Batata" or " Bataka" is the commonly used word for all varieties of Potato in Marathi and Gujarati, the two languages of Western states of India.
| + | ===Propagation=== |
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| − | Later on many farmers and stores began marketing Ame
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| − | rican-grown sweet potatoes as yams; the name stuck. In more recent times there has been an effort to stop the use of “yam” for sweet potatoes, but this has only been partially successful. USDA branding regulations require the word “yam” to be accompanied by the words “sweet potato” when referring to these moister sweet potatoes.
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| − | Starchy, white-fleshed types are sometimes called '''batatas''' or '''boniatos''', from generic [[Spanish language|Spanish]] terms for all types of sweet potato.
| + | ===Pests and diseases=== |
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| − | [[Substratum]] names used in local varieties of English include '''Kūmara''' (from [[Maori language|Māori]]), as it was the staple food of the native Māori diet, in the UK and Australasia (although "sweet potato" is more common in Australia, at least in Victoria) (the term is also used in indigenous languages of Melanesia, as well as "peteita"), and '''camote''' (from [[Nahuatl]] ''camohtli'' via Spanish) in the [[southwestern United States]].
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| − | In [[Hawaii|Hawai{{okina}}i]] substratum names are used for the yellow Japanese variety and the purple Okinawan variety, both of which are commonly available in the marketplace. The local [[Japanese language|Japanese]] names are widely recognized, with ''Satsumaimo'' “[[Satsuma province|Satsuma]] potato” used by recent Japanese immigrant families and ''yamaimo'' (“[[Dioscorea opposita|mountain potato]]”) by other groups. (Technically, ''yamaimo'' is the proper name in Japanese of the native yam; however, as in English, it is often used to refer to the sweet potato.) However, naming often depends on personal ancestry, with e.g. [[Samoan language|Sāmoan]] ''{{okina}}umala'' among [[Samoan American|Sāmoans]], [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]] ''kamote'' among [[Filipino people|Filipinos]], and [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] ''{{okina}}uala'' among [[Native Hawaiians]]. The orange-fleshed variety common in the mainland US and sold alongside the Japanese and Okinawan cultivars is locally called “sweet potato” or “yam”. The purple Okinawan sweet potato is sometimes confused with the purple yam called [[ube]].
| + | ==Varieties== |
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| − | == Varieties ==
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| − | There are seven major varieties of sweet potatoes: Jersey, Kotobuki (Japanese), Okinawan (Purple), Papa Doc, Beauregard, Garnet, and Jewel. The last three varieties are regionally called "yams" in the United States.
| + | ==Gallery== |
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| − | A unique variety of sweet potato grown in [[New Zealand]], originally grown by the indigenous [[Maori]], is the kumara, a red/purple variety with a unique flavor due to its isolation from other varieties. <ref>Best, E. (1925) ''Maori agriculture : the cultivated food plants of the natives of New Zealand, with some account of native methods of agriculture, its ritual and origin myths'' Whitcombe and Tombs, Wellington</ref>
| + | <gallery perrow=5> |
| | + | Image:Sweetpotato5162.jpg|Sweet potatoes in the field. |
| | + | Image:Ipomoea batatasL ja01.jpg|Freshly dug sweet potato. |
| | + | Image:Sweetpotato.jpg|Sweet Potatoes at a shop |
| | + | Image:Ornamental Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Vine 'Ace of Spades' (Ipomoea batatas).jpg|An ornamental sweet potato of the "Ace of Spades" cultivar] |
| | + | Image:Upload.png| photo 3 |
| | + | </gallery> |
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| − | == References and external links == | + | ==References== |
| − | {{commonscat|Sweet potato}}
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| | <references/> | | <references/> |
| − | *[http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Ipomoea/ Batatas, not potatoes] | + | *[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963 |
| − | *[http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1984421 The mystery of the sweet potato]
| + | <!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 --> |
| − | *[http://www.newhopeseed.com/vegetable/sweet_potato.htm#Growing Sweet Potato Growing and Harvesting Information]
| + | <!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 --> |
| − | *[http://home.usmo.com/~dougyounkin/sweetpotatoes.html Purple sweetpotato] Exotic sweetpotatoes can have purple flesh.
| + | <!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 --> |
| − | *[http://www.saturdaymarket.com/nakashima.htm Six Varieties of Sweet Potatoes] Explanation of the six major varieties of sweet potatoes, with pictures of the exterior and interiors of four varieties.
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| − | *Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), "[http://www.cgiar.org/impact/research/sweetpotato.html Sweet Potato]"
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| − | *Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 1990, "[http://www.fao.org/docrep/T0207E/T0207E00.htm Roots, tubers, plantains and bananas in human nutrition]" | |
| − | *The Japanese Society of Root and Tuber Crops (JRT), "[http://www.jrt.gr.jp/sminie/sm_index.html Mini White Paper: Sweetpotato in Japan]" 2000
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| − | *[http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/ North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission] (NCSPC)
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| − | *Verrill, A.H., ''Foods America Gave the World'', 1937, Boston : L.C. Page & Co.
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| − | *Wrench, K., "[http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/index.php?option=c
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| − | om_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=144 The Sweet Potato Patch]"
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| − | *[http://www.lucidcentral.org/keys/sweetpotato/ Sweetpotato DiagNotes] is a free comprehensive tool for sweetpotato management, providing information across the disciplines of plant pathology, crop nutrition, entomology and pest management, all integrated in a single expert system. | |
| − | *[http://www.milewis.com/sweetpotatofund/ Mississippi Sweet Potato Growers Association] website highlights the efforts of Wardell Sanders and his pursuits in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. The SPGA serves to provide a lasting agri-economy, strengthen the area farming communities, heighten Mississippi Delta pride, and to include Delta youth in all phases of its operations.
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| − | *[http://sweetpotato.pinkfairywand.com/ Sweet Potato Awareness], education about the differences between yams and sweet potatoes, with a downloadable flyer to distribute. | |
| − | *[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990604b.html The Straight Dope answers "What's the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?"]
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| | + | ==External links== |
| | + | *{{wplink}} |
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| − | [[Category:Crops originating from the Americas]]
| + | {{stub}} |
| − | [[Category:Convolvulaceae]]
| + | __NOTOC__ |
| − | [[Category:Root vegetables]]
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| − | [[Category:Leaf vegetables]]
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| − | [[Category:Tropical agriculture]]
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| − | [[Category:Fruits and vegetables of Mexico]]
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| − | [[Category:Filipino cuisine]]
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| − | [[Category:Staple foods]]
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Plant Characteristics
| Habit
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vine-climber
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| Origin:
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✈
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Tropical S America
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If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous roots are an important root vegetable (Purseglove, 1991; Woolfe, 1992). The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of Convolvulaceae, I. batatas is the only crop plant of major importance – some others are used locally, but many are actually poisonous.
The sweet potato is only distantly related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum). The softer, orange variety is commonly marketed as a "yam" in parts of North America, a practice possibly intended to differentiate it from the firmer, white variety. The sweet potato is very distinct from the actual yam, which is native to Africa and Asia and belongs to the monocot family Dioscoreaceae. To prevent confusion, the United States Department of Agriculture requires that sweet potatoes labeled as "yams" also be labeled as "sweet potatoes".[1]
The genus Ipomoea that contains the sweet potato also includes several garden flowers called morning glories, though that term is not usually extended to Ipomoea batatas. Some cultivars of Ipomoea batatas are grown as ornamental plants; the name "tuberous morning glory" may be used in a horticultural context.
This plant is a herbaceous perennial vine, bearing alternate heart-shaped or palmately lobed leaves and medium-sized sympetalous flowers. The edible tuberous root is long and tapered, with a smooth skin whose colour ranges between red, purple, brown and white. Its flesh ranges from white through yellow, orange, and purple.
Read about Sweet potato in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
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Ipomoea batatas, Poir. (Batatas edulis, Choisy). Sweet Potato. Lvs. ovate-cordate, usually angular or lobed, variable, petioled: peduncles equaling or exceeding the petioles, several-fld.; corolla 1-2 in. wide. Origin probably from I. fastigiata of Trop. Amer. (I. platanifolia. R. & S.).—Largely cult, in many varieties for its edible tubers. See Sweet Potato.
The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.
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Cultivation
The plant does not tolerate frost. It grows best at an average temperature of 24 °C °F , abundant sunshine and warm nights. Annual rainfalls of 750–1000 mm are considered most suitable, with a minimum of 500 mm in the growing season. The crop is sensitive to drought at the tuber initiation stage 50–60 days after planting and is not tolerant to water-logging, as it may cause tuber rots and reduce growth of storage roots if aeration is poor (Ahn, 1993).
Depending on the cultivar and conditions, tuberous roots mature in two to nine months. With care, early-maturing cultivars can be grown as an annual summer crop in temperate areas, such as the northern United States. Sweet potatoes rarely flower when the daylight is longer than 11 hours, as is normal outside of the tropics. They are mostly propagated by stem or root cuttings or by adventitious roots called "slips" that grow out from the tuberous roots during storage. True seeds are used for breeding only.
Under optimal conditions of 85 to 90% relative humidity at 13 to 16 C, sweet potatoes can keep for six months. Colder temperatures injure the roots.
They grow well in many farming conditions and have few natural enemies; pesticides are rarely needed. Sweet potatoes are grown on a variety of soils, but well-drained light and medium textured soils with a pH range of 4.5-7.0 are more favourable for the plant (Woolfe, 1992; Ahn, 1993). They can be grown in poor soils with little fertilizer. However, sweet potatoes are very sensitive to aluminium toxicity and will die about 6 weeks after planting if lime is not applied at planting in this type of soil (Woolfe, 1992). Because they are sown by vine cuttings rather than seeds, sweet potatoes are relatively easy to plant. Because the rapidly growing vines shade out weeds, little weeding is needed, and farmers can devote time to other crops. In the tropics, the crop can be maintained in the ground and harvested as needed for market or home consumption. In temperate regions, sweet potatoes are most often grown on larger farms and are harvested before first frosts.
Propagation
Pests and diseases
Varieties
Gallery
Sweetpotato5162.jpg
Sweet potatoes in the field.
Freshly dug sweet potato.
An ornamental sweet potato of the "Ace of Spades" cultivar]
References
External links
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