Effects of enhancing sweet potatoes variety diversity in increasing yield and quality of tuber

Abstract

Sweet potato is a tuber crop which is grown for both its tubers and vines. The tubers are used as human food while the vines are used as livestock feed. It is a crop that is able to resist drought conditions and will take a short time to mature hence plays a big role in food security in Kenya. There are many different varieties of sweet potatoes in the world and in Kenya which differ in growth and yield characteristics. Since most of the population in Embu West Sub County is made up of small scale farmers who undertake farming as an economic activity, it is necessary for them to adopt the variety that produces the highest yield. A study was carried out to determine effects of enhancing suit potatoes variety diversity in increasing yield and quality of tuber of SPK004, Kenspot 3 and Kenspot 4.Data on specific growth and yield parameters was collected in two seasons , summarized using excel then analysed using SPSS version 23, α=0.05. The study showed significant growth and yield potential difference in all yield parameters among the three sweet potato varieties with Kenspot 4 being the highest producer of and biomass above the ground and widest tuber diameter.