More than 95 percent of the global sweet potato crop is cultivated in developing countries. The humble crop, often underrated, is packed with vitamin A and carbohydrates. It is a staple food for impoverished countries in Africa, South America and Asia. Despite its promises as a superstar crop, sweet potato has received little attention for crop improvement. A study conducted by the International Potato Center (CIP) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) identified priorities for sweet potato improvement in developing countries. Results of the survey show that there are consistent key constraints in all major sweet potato producing areas. Survey respondents indicated that the priority needs in developing countries were:

• control of viruses, by having resistant varieties and quality planting material
• small-enterprise development for sweet potato processing
• improvement in availability and quality of sweet potato planting material
• improved cultivars exhibiting high and stable yield potential

Additional priorities include the control of sweet potato weevil and the development of varieties with improved beta-carotene for Sub-Saharan Africa, and the characterization of genetic resources and cultivars with high starch yield and new product development for China. Sub-Saharan Africa and China are two of the World’s major sweet potato production centers. Results also show that there is an increasing need for post-harvest utilization research.

Read the abstract of the study at http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/42/5/1200/.%20Subscribers to Hortscience can read the full paper at http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/reprint/42/5/1200