VARIATION IN ROOT PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE AERIAL PART OF SWEET POTATO DUE TO HARVEST SEASON

Abstract

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (Lam.)) is one of the crops with the greatest potential for root production and
shoot development in tropical conditions. The objective of this study was to verify the increase in yield, root
shape, and susceptibility to insect attack in sweet potatoes in response to harvest times in the Cerrado soil.
Two experiments were carried out in a 7 x 2 factorial scheme in two periods. The first factor was 07 harvest
times (60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 135 and 150 days after transplanting), and the second was two sweet potato
genotypes: BDGPI#25 and BDGPM#04. The productivity of the sweet potato roots and branches, root shape
and damage caused by soil insects were evaluated. The productivity of roots of sweet potato genotypes had an increasing linear yield, with higher numbers at 150 days after transplanting for both genotypes. The highest productivity of the aerial part occurred in the harvest at 60 days, with a gradual decrease until 150 days. The BDGPM#04 genotype presented a more suitable format for table, while the BDGPI#25 genotype, which had greater productive potential, has more suitable root characteristics for the industry. Regarding the damage caused by insects, the genotype BDGPM#04 presented damage-free roots, while the genotype BDGPI#25 had roots with little and almost imperceptible damage.