Evaluation of Some Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam) Varieties in Mozambique

Abstract

In Mozambique, sweetpotato plays a significant role in rural areas, where the farmers use it to feed their families and as an income. In this study, we aimed to investigate the performance of different sweetpotato varieties in Niassa, Mozambique. The trial was set up in Malulu, Sanga district, located 60 km away from Lichinga, capital of Niassa, Mozambique. In Sanga, the rainy and hot season occurs from December to March, and the dry and cold season is from May to October. In this trial, the treatments correspond to sweetpotato varieties. We used the randomized block design with 12 sweetpotato varieties and 3 replications. The evaluated traits were as follows: weevil damage, roots commercial yield, roots non-commercial yield, total yield, and vine yield. Regarding statistical analysis, the results per trait were submitted to the Bartlett test of homogeneity of variances and Shapiro-Wilk normality test, and then the analysis of variance and means comparison using the Scott-Knott test when necessary was performed. All the statistical analysis was conducted at 5% on the R programming language. For commercial and total yield, the varieties Local, Sumaia, Olga, and Alisha presented the best results. Esther and Irene were the varieties most attacked by weevils.