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Reference · Crops

Convolvulaceae

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a perennial herbaceous crop belonging to the Convolvulaceae family. While commonly called a potato, it is botanically distinct and is valued for its starchy, sweet-tasting storage roots. It serves as a staple food source for millions of people worldwide, especially in developing nations.

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Ochre Morning Glory Ipomoea ochracea Olive-leaved bindweed Convolvulus oleifolius Operculina Operculina 5 items Palestinian bindweed Convolvulus palaestinus Palestinian dodder Cuscuta palaestina Pedicellate dodder Cuscuta pedicellata Persian bindweed Convolvulus persicus Pink morning glory Ipomoea incarnata Polymeria Polymeria 2 items Porana Porana 1 item Poranopsis Poranopsis 1 item Potosina dodder Cuscuta potosina Pretty dodder Cuscuta pulchella Quamoclit Quamoclit Red morning glory Ipomoea coccinea Scaly dodder Cuscuta squamata Seddera Seddera 1 item Short-styled dodder Cuscuta curta Shrubby Bindweed Convolvulus floridus Sicilian bindweed Convolvulus siculus Silky bindweed Convolvulus holosericeus Silky evolvulus Evolvulus sericeus Smoothseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta obtusiflora Stictocardia Stictocardia 1 item Suksdorf's dodder Cuscuta suksdorfii Tasmanian dodder Cuscuta tasmanica Thunberg bindweed Convolvulus thunbergii Tree morning glory Ipomoea arborescens Turbina Turbina 2 items Umbrella dodder Cuscuta umbellata Valencian bindweed Convolvulus valentinus White morning glory Ipomoea leucantha Woolly bindweed Convolvulus lanatus Woolly morning glory Ipomoea barbigera Woolly morning glory Ipomoea eriocarpa Xenostegia Xenostegia 3 items

Convolvulaceae

Originating from the tropical regions of Central and South America, the sweet potato has spread across all continents. It is now cultivated extensively in China, several African nations, and the United States. Its adaptability allows it to grow in various climates, although it performs best in frost-free, warm environments with plenty of sunshine.

Botanically, the plant features trailing stems and alternate leaves. The edible parts are adventitious roots that enlarge into tubers, which vary significantly in skin color and flesh texture. The crop is typically propagated vegetatively using slips (sprouts from the tubers) rather than seeds, which preserves the characteristics of the cultivar.

Regarding agricultural requirements, sweet potatoes thrive in well-drained, sandy loam soils with a pH between 5.8 and 6.2. They are heat-loving plants requiring a long growing season of at least 90–120 days. Proper irrigation is crucial during the establishment phase, while dry conditions are preferred as harvest approaches to improve storage quality.

Sweet potatoes are used in a variety of culinary applications, including baking, boiling, and frying, as well as in industrial processing for flour and animal feed. Common challenges in crop management include:

  • Pathogenic fungi such as Fusarium wilt and scurf.
  • Insect pests including sweet potato weevils, wireworms, and aphids.
  • Competition from weeds in the early growth stages due to slow initial development.