Abstract
As the suite of fungicides, pesticides, and fumigants available to vegetable producers continues to shrink, growers may begin to reexamine crop rotations as an alternative method of disease, weed, and pest control. Although many studies have examined field crop rotations, relatively few have examined a vegetable crop as a part of that rotation. In 1985 a study was initiated to evaluate the effect of various crop rotations on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) yield and quality. Specific rotations were: (i) continuous sweet potato, (ii) sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. rugosa) and sweet potato, (iii) soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and sweet potato, (iv) 2 yr sweet corn and one yr sweet potato, (v) 2 yr bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge.) and 1 yr sweet potato, and, (vi) soybean, sweet corn and sweet potato. Two complete cycles (1988-1990 and 1991-1993) of the rotations were analyzed. The crop rotation producing the largest annual yield (4.70 tons/acre) and one of the largest cumulative (11.35 tons/acre) sweet potato yields was 2 yr of bahiagrass followed by sweet potato. Continuous sweet potatoes produced the lowest annual (2.12 tons/acre) and one of the highest total marketable cumulative yields (11.39 tons/acre) during the 6 yr. In general, a rotation containing a grass (bahiagrass, sweet corn) produced higher annual sweet potato yields than those without.
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