Comparative analysis for producing sweetpotato pre-basic seed using sandponics and conventional systems

Abstract

In Sub-Saharan Africa, sweetpotato pre-basic seed is multiplied in screenhouses using a sterilized soil substrate. This is expensive and unsustainable. The use of sand substrate with a fertigation system (“sandponics”), is an alternative. The study compared the cost-effectiveness for pre-basic seed production using the sandponics system to the conventional soil substrate for four genotypes. A randomized complete block split plot design was used, and data collected on vine traits over six harvests. Real-time cost data were collected for cost-effectiveness analysis. Results showed a highly significant (p