Assessment of Nine Sweet Potato Varieties on Yield of tubers Under Overhead Irrigation Conditions in the South Eastern Lowveld of Zimbabwe

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Daniel Chipanga, Ellitah Macheke and Rosemary Chireyerwe Dube

                                                 Chiredzi Research Station, P. O. Box 97, Chiredzi, Zimbabwe

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L .) Lam) is one of the more important staple crops in Zimbabwe and is grown primarily for the flesh market and is very  acceptable as evidenced by its extensive cultivation all over the country. However, the crop’s yield and quality are considered to have deteriorated over the years. This degeneration is attributed to infection by virus diseases, natural low yield potential and effects of climate change. A trial assessing current yield and selecting sweet potato varieties that had a high yielding potential was conducted in the South East Lowveld under irrigation during summer season in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Nine sweet potato varieties were used in the trial.  Treatments were Brondal, Pamhai, Cordina, Mafuta, Magutse, Bosbok, Germany 2, Chingova and Mozambique White sweet potato varieties were used as treatments in this trial. Results showed that there were no significant difference (p>0.05) on stand count. There were significant difference (p<0.05) number of marketable and non marketable and gross number (marketable and non marketable) tubers. There were significant difference (p<0.05) on yield of marketable and non marketable and gross yield (marketable and non marketable) tubers. Magutse, Brondal, Bosbok and Cordina are the high marketable tuber yielders. However, Mafutha, Germany 2 and Pamhai are the moderate tuber yielders while Chingova and Mozambique White are the least (poor) marketable tuber yielders. Magutse, Brondal, Bosbok and Cordina are recommended as the best sweet potato varieties for production in the South East Lowveld of Zimbabwe under overhead irrigation during summer season.

Keywords: Sweet potato varieties, overhead irrigation, summer season and tuber yield

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