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Sweet Potatoes
Production is focused on the export market. Blesbok (a local cultivar) is mainly produced. It is a red skin, cream flesh sweet potato.
Local markets are becoming a more important market with the demand of supplying Blesbok, 12 months of the year. This demand forced
us to develop production in other areas which are out season of our local area. This led to the establishment of production in the Hazyview
vicinity and exploring the production of vines (planting material).
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This tropical plant requires hot days and warm nights during its 4 to 5 month growing season. Optimum mean temperatures for growth are 21ºC to 29ºC. The plants are very sensitive to low temperatures.
Sandy to loamy soils are preferred. Heavy soils tend to produce more misshapen roots, and also induce more tuber rots. Good drainage to a depth of at least 500 mm is essential. The crop is sensitive to alkaline soil conditions.
The sweet potato industry is based almost entirely on cultivars bred at Roodeplaat in South Africa. The most important cultivars are Blesbok and Bosbok, but earlier released cultivars such as Impala, Brondal, Koedoe and Ribbok are also grown commercially. Apart from Koedoe and Ribbok, which have yellowish or straw-coloured skins, the external colour of the others tends to be reddish. Flesh colour of the tubers varies from cream to yellow to light orange, depending on the cultivar. Natal Red, a local selection, is very popular in some KZN communities.
Nurseries established in November/December will yield their first cuttings in about February/March, when large-scale plantings are made in the warmer areas. By late August a second batch could be obtained. A further harvest is possible in November/December. If the nursery is established during January to March, the vines can be cut in August/September, and again in November/December. |
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(Courtesy of the Agricultural Research Council) | |
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Sweetpotato cultivar |
Shape |
Skin colour |
Flesh colour |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
Origin |
Market |
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Blesbok
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Cylindrical to long elliptic |
Purple |
Cream |
High yield and good storability. Cultivar that is produced most and is widely adapted. Can produce good yield in relatively short growing period (4 months) which is particularly important for cold areas. |
May produce some long, curved sweetpotato – especially in sandy soils. Can become too large with too long growing period - more so in warm regions. |
1989
ARC-Roodeplaat |
Fresh market and export | |
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