Evaluation of sweet potato genotypes for high yield and rich in (j-carotene content

Abstract

Abstract : The research was under taken to screen out suitable genotypes of sweet potato (Jpomoea batatas L.) for developing -carotene rich bakery processed products. The experiment evaluated and clustered the twenty eight genotypes on the basis of four yield contributing characters (total fresh tuber yield, -carotene content, dry matter and dry yield). It was found a strong relation between flesh color and fl-carotene content Deep orange flesh color of sweet potato had the highest fl- carotene but it was not present in white flesh sweet potato. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed an over riding importance of total fresh tuber yield and - carotene among the four characters. The 28 genotypes were clustered into four groups. Among the four clusters, the mean yield of cluster 2 is the highest (58.95 t/ha) followed by the mean yield of cluster 4 but the average value of - carotene in cluster 2 was not satisfactory (0.43mg/100g), whereas cluster 4 contained the highest average value of - carotene (1.75 mg/lOOg). So among the four clusters, cluster 4 was consistent with the objectives of study. All the members of the cluster (group 4) provided the satisfactory total fresh, tuber yield but the CIP- 440074-2 genotype and Kamala Sundari variety had the highest -carotene.