Abstract
The impact of temperature and potassium fertilizers on the growth, yield, and basic biochemical characteristics of sweet potato, <em>Ipomoea batatas </em>var. Antin- 1, was investigated in lowland and highland terrains. In this study we aimed to determine the different traits of the sweet potato, based on its morphology, physiology, and biochemical composition, following treatments with a potassium fertilizer at different temperatures. The study was undertaken using a nested factorial design. The first factor was temperature at each of the two sites: T1 (lowland) and T2 (highland). The second factor was potassium fertilizer (K<sub>2</sub>O) nested within the temperature factor and consisting of four levels of K: K0 (0 kg/ha), K1 (50 kg/ha), K2 (100 kg/ha), and K3 (150 kg/ha). Each potassium treatment was replicated three times at each location. Plant vegetative growth in the lowland region, with a daily average temperature of 26.8 °C, tended to be more bushy, with several different morphological properties: The main stem was longer (160.7 cm) and spreading, the stem diameter was greater, and the petioles were significantly longer in the lowland plants compared with the highland plants; however, no differences were observed in the leaf characteristics. The differential temperature (depending on altitude) resulted in significant differences in relative growth rates (RGR) and net assimilation rates (NAR); the values for RGR-1 and NAR-1 in the lowlands were higher than those in the highlands. The tuber weight, yield index, anthocyanin accumulation, and glucose content were significantly higher in the highland crops than in the lowland plants, which grew under relatively higher temperatures. Potassium applications caused significant differences in the anthocyanin content (mg/100 g fresh weight), anthocyanin production (kg/ha), and glucose production (kg/ha) at different locations.
Highlights
In addition to good nutritional composition and taste, foods that consumers demand should have ingredients that have certain key physiological functions in the body
The vegetative growth of the plants at the lowland location, with a daily average temperature of 26.8 ◦C, tended to be more dense, and these plants exhibited several different morphological properties, namely, the main stem was longer (160.69 cm) and larger in diameter, and the petioles were statistically longer, but there was no significant difference in the leaf area of the highland plants compared with that of the lowland plants
The diameter of the stem was larger in the lowland plants, temperature differences between the lowland and highland sites did not result in significantly different values for leaf area at the two locations
Summary
In addition to good nutritional composition and taste, foods that consumers demand should have ingredients that have certain key physiological functions in the body. According to Waluyo et al (2013), sweet potato is one of the potential valuable food products to be developed more intensely, given that the sweet potato has high nutritional value and is easy to process. The development of sweet potato in Indonesia requires serious attention because both the area of cultivation and the yield are fluctuating, with average productivity currently at 15–20 tons/ha of tubers. Research has shown that the potential yield of sweet potato tubers is as much as 30 tons/ha or more (Balitkabi, 2010). The Indonesian Legumes and Tuber Crops Research Institute (Balai Penelitian Tanaman Kacang-Kacangan dan UmbiUmbian – Balitkabi), has released 23 superior varieties of sweet potato
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