2024/10/07
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Specialty vegetable crops

Specialty vegetable crops

Technical Development

Premium Vegetables

Sweet potato

Growing Sweet Potato
Growing period : Generally it can be grown throughout the year.
Growing environment :

Regions with warm climate are suitable. Sweet potato grows well between 20 ~ 30oC.

Sandy loam can facilitate the formation of tuberous roots and enhance their plumpness.

Planting and spacing :

Planting by cuttings

Choosing cuttings: Sturdy and healthy sweet potato cuttings with 6 ~ 8 sprouts are preferred.

Planting cuttings: Put sweet potato cuttings into the soil at an angle of 45o. Leave 3 sprouts above the ground and bury the rest with soil. The last sprout should be at least 12 cm deep down the soil.

Plant spacing should be about 25 cm.

Application of fertilizer and management : Basal dressing: Apply about 1,000 kg compost and 1.5 bags of organic fertiliser (N:P:K = 4:3:3) (37.5 kg) to each d.c..

Top dressing: After light ploughing and weeding, dig troughs, apply top dressing and earth up. Apply 1.5 bags (37.5kg) of organic fertilizer to each d.c..

Light ploughing and weeding: Around a month after planting the cuttings, perform light ploughing once. Light ploughing can remove weeds, improve soil ventilation and avoid root hardening and fibrous root formation.

Turning the vines: Avoid roots growing between the nodes above the soil, which will produce undersized sweet potatoes and dissipate nutrient storage. It can enhance the development of the main tuberous roots.

Irrigation: Adequate moisture in the soil during early and interim growth period can help tuberous root development and boost yield. Keep minimum irrigation when tuberous roots begin to mature.

(1 d.c.= 674 square metres or 7,260 square feet)
Harvesting and storage:

Harvest tuberous roots when the stems and leaves of the sweet potato plant turn yellow and the leaves of lower portion start to fall off. Normally sweet potato is ready for harvest 5 ~ 6 months after planting the cuttings. Tuberous roots should avoid exposure to sunlight, and be stored in a cool, dry place which is clean and well-ventilated to prevent soft rot or anthrax.

Horticulture Section, AFCD
2011
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